Moonlight Becomes You
by Hils
Summary: The second Tale in the Bessie series - COMPLETE
1. The Stone Chest

Usual disclaimers… drat!

I am hoping to update this story weekly. If I disappear for a while, I am sorry. I made the mistake of trying to update the Kitty Groves tales and bringing them all under one title, deleting the first story and uploading the newly edited one. Unfortunately I fell foul of the duplicate story rule. I have uploaded the old version of the first of the Kitty Groves tales, and hopefully it will stay. If it is deleted then I will be forced to remove all of the Kitty Groves story to another site.

Anyways… here is the second in the Bessie tales. I hope you enjoy. This tale takes place two years after the end of Masters' Gold.

Chapter 1 – The Stone Chest

Jack sat on the edge of the stone chest, watching as the crew unloaded the last of their haul. He sighed, wondering when he would ever get the time to properly look through all the items accumulated by Barbossa. At least they had gotten rid of his rotting skeleton – dumped it at sea with a cannon ball tied to its feet. They had done the same to the monkey… that bloody monkey. Jack grimmaced as he thought of the cursed creature when they had tried to shoot it. It had led them a merry chase about the caves before they realised it had taken a coin and had finally cornered it, replacing the coin and then killing it. His fingers danced along the edge of the chest as he admired the gleam of the gold within… cursed gold.

"We're all done, Captain!" Henry Holt called from the shadows.

Jack rose. "I'm comin'!" he acknowledged, running his fingers through the coins, sighing ruefully. A sudden grin crossed his face, his teeth glinting in the light from above as he turned and crossed to where Henry waited for him.

"Last boat's waiting, Captain," he nodded.

"Well let's not keep it waitin' any longer!" Jack said, weaving his way through the narrow tunnels and jumping down onto the small secret beach. "I can hear a quiet bay an' Tortuga callin'!" He frowned briefly, annoyed that the Black Pearl had taken damage in their last raid. Her main mast was damaged and a number of holes, despite being patched, were still leaking water. They had lost eleven men too and needed to get the ship repaired before they could head towards the more heavily patrolled seas of the northern Caribbean... and he knew just the bay to shelter in with enough timber to make repairs.

"Don't you mean Bessie!" Henry teased, eager to see her and the children again. He often was invited to dinner by Bessie and was hoping for another home-cooked meal. Jack smiled at him, but did not speak. Henry knew, as did all the crew, how much his wife and family meant to their captain. Henry pushed the boat out, holding it whilst Jack climbed in before following, picking up the oars and rowing his captain back to the Black Pearl.

Jack climbed eagerly onboard, his eye noticing teeth marks on the water barrel. He sighed, realising that they would have to get another cat – the rodents had it easy for too long now that Daffodil no longer prowled the hold. Perhaps she would have another litter of kittens soon, despite her age, or one of her earlier daughters would who now lived at various homes throughout Tortuga. Paying the crew bounty on the creatures was not working - they definitely needed a ship's cat! He nodded to Joshamee Gibbs as he climbed to the quarterdeck to take the helm. He checked his compass for the bearings, steering the Black Pearl carefully through the narrow channel as the sails unfurled, catching the wind, heading northwards – heading home.

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"Captain Groves!" Theodore looked up at the shout, the lookout pointing eastwards in the gathering gloom of late dusk. "Captain Groves! It's the Black Pearl!"

Theodore Groves smiled as he placed his spyglass to his eye, noting that the pirate ship had taken some damage. The Black Pearl was fast – faster than the HMS Dauntless, but with the top of her main mast in splinters it might be a more even race. He knew that the dazzling sunset had hidden them from view, the glare of its fiery orb blinding the other ship to their presence. He noted their course, bidding his helm to adjust theirs to intercept. If he calculated correctly, and the Black Pearl did not change course, then they would be right on them by dawn.

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"Ship ahoy! Ship ahoy!" Ned Cotton's macaw screached from the rigging. Jack emerged from his cabin and cursed, reaching for his spyglass before realising he did not need it.

"Bloody hell Foxx! Are yer asleep up there?" he swore, dashing up to the quarterdeck and grabbing the wheel from Paul Barker. He swung it wildly, swerving away from the oncoming ship, grateful that they were not in reach of her chasing guns.

"I couldn't see them Captain!" Rafe protested. "The sun blinded me!" He was new to his post and had made the mistake of squinting at the morning sun.

"Well I can sure see them now!" Jack retorted. "An' I'll bloody blind yer if I get m' hands on yer! All hands to their stations! I want th' guns readied an' th' sweeps out!"

Joshamee Gibbs led the men below and soon Jack could feel the bite of the sweeps as they dug into the water, turning from the approaching ship. "Holt! Get aloft!" Jack ordered. "An' get that useless bastard below!" He wanted eyes he could trust with the HMS Dauntless so close and he prayed that they could outrun the naval ship for the Black Pearl was in no condition to fight.

"Aye, Captain!" Henry replied, climbing the stairs to the quarterdeck and borrowing Jack's spyglass before scrambling up to the crows nest. He cast a worried eye back at the naval ship before scanning the seas around them, desperately looking for something that they could use to their advantage. His eyes caught on the glimmer of small white sails. "Captain! Merchant ship four points off port!"

"How long?" Jack queried, turning the wheel slightly to adjust their course, long association making more words unneccesary.

"A few hours even with the damage!" Henry assured him.

"Don't lose him then!" Jack ordered, urging his precious ship faster. If they could stay ahead of the HMS Dauntless for a few hours then they could break clear for he knew he could rely on Theodore Groves' sense of duty to aid their escape.

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Captain Theodore Groves paced the quarterdeck of HMS Dauntless, frowning as he saw the pirate ship bear down on the smaller merchant vessel. For a moment he wondered what the Black Pearl was doing, but then gasped as the cannons opened fire, blasting into the other ship. With just a few carronades he could clearly see that the merchant could offer no fight to the pirates, but he quickly realised their plan. Already the smaller ship was listing badly as it's crew frantically tried to release their boat, some jumping into the water or clinging to floating wreckage.

"Furl the sails!" he ordered. "Take us in close and ready the boats!"

"Captain?" his Lieutenant queried. "You are giving up Sparrow?"

"We need to see to the survivors first, Pointer," Theodore sighed. "Jack Sparrow will have to wait a while longer for his hanging!" He watched disappointedly as the Black Pearl sailed away, realising that they would never catch them now. He wondered briefly if Bessie was still with him and how she was… he hoped she was well.

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Jack laughed to himself as he saw the HMS Dauntless slow to rescue the sailors from the sinking merchant vessel. Bessie had told him much about the Captain and the time that she had spent in his household and he had guessed correctly that the man would be unable to condemn the merchant sailors to almost certain death by continuing after the pirate ship. He turned the wheel slightly, adjusting their course back towards the bay he had been heading for prior to chase. He wanted his ship repaired as quickly as possible, not liking to feel vulnerable.

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Reviews?

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	2. The Crow Attacks

Usual disclaimers… sigh!

Disappointing lack of reviews to the first chapter… perhaps the alert got lost with all the alerts with the fun and games I had with the first Kitty tale?

Special thanks to the THREE that did review! I luvs yer!

**Chapter 2 – The Crow Attacks**

Jack scowled at the sky, sensing the approaching storm. "What next?" he snarled to the heavens, cursing how his normal good luck had changed over the previous few days. He eased the Black Pearl through the narrow passage between St Kitts and Nevis, risking the more direct route to the bay for fear of the repairs not holding in the worsening weather. Already the sky was darkening, the wind rising, white caps racing along the tops of the waves. The men were working continuously at the pumps to prevent the Black Pearl sinking and he knew they were exhausted.

"Captain!" Henry shouted from aloft. "Two points off starboard – it's The Crow!"

"Bloody hell!" he cried, looking up in disbelief.

"She's sailing straight for us!" he cried, although there was little room to manoeuvre between the two islands. "She's flying red!"

"Th' bastard!" Jack swore, realising that the damage to the Black Pearl would be clearly visible to Bryn Corbin. "Ready th' cannons! We're going t' have t' fight!" He cursed that it was The Crow and no other ship for, whilst any other pirate would probably have passed them by, Bryn Corbin had never forgiven Jack for beating him to Horace Masters' treasure. Jack wondered briefly if it had been just the treasure. He had heard unsettling rumours of the man following Bessie whilst the Black Pearl was away and he worried that perhaps it was not just his ship that the man was after. "Haul our red in reply!" he ordered, determined to put an end to the feud between the two of them, once and for all.

The ships closed.

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Bryn Corbin laughed when he saw the damage that the Black Pearl had taken, deciding to risk an attack on the other ship. He knew that there was no room to manoeuvre, no room for the Black Pearls famous sweeps to speed her from their encounter. Today it ended – and he was determined that for once he would win.

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Boom!

The first round of cannons fired, Jack wincing as a number of The Crow's shots made fresh holes in his precious ship. "Hold t'gether darlin'," Jack pleaded, patting the ship's rail as he urged his crew to take the fight to the other ship, reaching for a nearby grappling hook, but he was forced to duck as a shot only just missed him.

"Captain!" Joshamee warned, realising that they were going to be boarded first. The crew of The Crow swung across, pistols firing and swords waving as they attacked the already exhausted crew of the Black Pearl.

Jack smashed his sword into the face of one pirate, gutting him with his second swipe as he fought his way through to where he could see Bryn Corbin, but more pirates came between them and the two captains lost each other in the melee.

"Sparrow!" Bryn Corbin shouted.

Jack looked up in horror, realising that his pistol was spent and that his enemy finally stood before him. He somehow doubted that the pistol aimed at him was empty. He raised his sword, even though he knew it was a futile gesture.

"Your ship is mine," the Welshman sneered. "And so will your wife be!"

All thought fled from Jack's mind as he charged at the captain of The Crow. The pistol fired. Jack looked down at his chest, frowning as the force of the shot threw him backwards. His head crashed against the deck and the world went black.

"Captain!" Henry cried in horror, fighting his way to where Jack lay. He looked down at the wound, realising that there was no way that Jack could be alive. Blood stained the front of Jack's shirt – although how much was his and how much was others he could not say for the fighting had been without quarter. He could see Joshamee Gibbs still standing, although by now almost all of the Black Pearl crew were dead, too exhausted from trying to keep their ship afloat. "Gibbs!" he cried.

Joshamee looked in disbelief as he saw Jack, fighting his way through their attackers to stand by Henry. "Take th' compass!" he ordered, turning to defend Henry as he crouched down. "Whatever will we tell Bessie?"

Henry looked up at him worriedly. "We've got to survive first!" he cried. "Abandon ship Joshamee… it's lost anyway!"

Joshamee nodded. They were near enough to shore to reach safety if they were lucky. "Abandon ship!" he shouted, hoping those still alive would be able to follow. He dived into the sea only a few moments behind Henry, diving deep to avoid the shots that zipped through the water, resolutely swimming for the southern tip of Saint Kitts.

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Bryn Corbin surveyed his new ship, soon realising why the crew of the Black Pearl had not put up much of a fight. "Get some men on the pumps!" he ordered for she was already beginning to list to starboard. "We'll head for safety and get her repaired before heading back to Tortuga…" He paused, watching as the body of Jack Sparrow was thrown overboard, sinking beneath the waves with the rest of the dead before turning to his quartermaster Simon Jervis. "Take half the men on The Crow and follow us!" he ordered. "I will be staying onboard my new ship…" He ran his hand along the rail, smiling to himself. The ship was his – and soon the wife would be too.

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Joshamee Gibbs scrambled up the beach, turning and staring in disbelief as the Black Pearl sailed away. He looked around him, shocked to see only five others on the shore. "Is there nobody else?" he asked, looking out to sea in the hope of seeing more men stagger up the beach.

"We're all there are Gibbs," Paul Barker sighed, shaking the water from his ear. "Just the six of us!"

Joshamee sat down, stunned. Out of nearly fifty crew only himself, Paul Barker, Henry Holt, Wyn Bristow, Lucas Combe and Gethin Jones survived. "Jesus!" he gasped.

Henry flopped down next to him, staring at Jack's compass in his hands. "We have to tell Bessie!" he said, his voice reflecting the horror in his eyes. "What are we going to say to her?"

"It's worse than that," Gethin worried. "I heard Corbin say he had the ship and he wanted Bessie… just before he shot the Captain!"

"Surely Morgan will protect her?" Lucas worried, looking to Joshamee for confirmation. "The Captain paid for her safety…"

"Will he honour it now that Jack is dead," Joshamee worried. "She's only got Jem she can rely on… and with his bad knee…"

"What do we do then?" Paul asked. "You're senior Gibbs, that makes you Captain…"

Joshamee looked up in surprise as the others nodded their agreement. "We are still Black Pearl," he said quietly. "And we will honour our code!" A chorus of 'Aye' greeted his words. "Our first task must be to get to Tortuga and ensure Bessie and the children are safe. We'll deal with that Welsh bastard later…" He glanced across to Gethin. "No offence!"

"None taken," Gethin smiled, staggering to his feet. "But we'd best get going – Corbin will be in Tortuga way before we can hope to be!"

The other five rose, turning from the beach and heading northwards. If they could head to the port at Basseterre then there was hope that they commandeer a ship and at least make some time up. "Aye, let's get going!" Joshamee agreed. "It's a good ten miles walk and this storm won't hold off for long!"

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Looks innocently over her shoulder for daggers.

Reviews anyone?

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	3. Bad News At Tortuga

**Chapter 3 – Bad News At Tortuga**

Jem Harvey hobbled up the hill as fast as he could, praying that he would be in time. He had been wandering down to the Faithful Bride for his evening ale and had seen the Black Pearl arrive in the harbour. He had instantly recognised the flag flying from atop her mainmast – and it had not been Jack's flag. "Bessie!" he cried urgently. "Bessie! Gather the children and some money… now!"

Bessie walked slowly down the stairs, carefully carrying her youngest child, Emily who was now nearly a year and a half. "What is it?" she frowned.

"Corbin's in town!" he gasped, panting for breath. "He arrived on the Pearl!"

"What?" Bessie went white, sitting on one of the settees before she fell. "How? Where's Jack?" Her eyes looked to him for answers, but he feared she already knew them.

"Jack would never let that bastard on his ship," he said sadly. "The only way Corbin's flag would be flying atop her mast would be if Jack and the crew were dead…"

They both jumped on hearing a loud knock at the door. Shaking, Bessie handed Emily to him. "Gather the children," she ordered. "We have to leave…" The knock sounded again, louder.

"Don't…" he warned, but Bessie was already walking towards the door. She opened it.

"Mistress Sparrow!" Bryn Corbin stood before her. "Bessie…" He coughed. "May I be the first to offer my condolences on the death of your husband…" He smiled, wondering if she was pregnant again. "If there is anything I can do to help you… and the children…"

"You murdering bastard!" Bessie's slap nearly took his head off. "How dare you come here when you are the one responsible for Jack's death!"

Bryn's eyes darkened. Clearly she had been warned of his arrival. "I see that I was not the first," he shrugged, realising there was little point in hiding his involvement. "But as I said to your husband as I took the Pearl… I have his ship and I'll soon have you!" He grinned as he turned to leave. "Good day, Mistress Sparrow, for now…"

Bessie shut the door, leaning against it and sliding to the floor. She had prayed that Jem had been mistaken, but Bryn Corbin's words had left her with no hope. Silently tears slid down her face.

"Bessie… Bessie, we must act!" Jem crouched down beside her, Emily still in his arms. "Send young Jack to Morgan for help… he will protect you!"

"But he's just a boy!" she protested, slowly accepting his hand and standing, taking her daughter from him in a daze.

"He's the man of the family now," Jem said ruefully. "He's a smart boy – he'll get there safely."

Reluctantly she nodded. "The children must be told…"

Jem guided her back to one of the settees. "I'll round them up," he smiled, knowing he was likely to find them in the garden. He was not disappointed. It was nearly dark and soon they would have been called in for the night. He stood in the doorway watching them play, reluctant to destroy their innocence with his words. "Children! Your mother needs you inside…" He sighed as they looked up, Pearl looking instantly worried at his tone. "All of you… now."

Pearl picked up Francis, shooing Tabitha before her. "Jack! John! Hetty! Come on!" she urged, hurrying inside. One look at her mother's face convinced her that something was seriously wrong. "Mother?" she asked. "What is it?" Bessie knew that she had to be strong for the children, but the tears would not stop. She waited until Jack and Henrietta came inside, last and bickering as usual. They stopped, staring at her tears. "Mother?" Pearl pressed.

Assured that she had all of their attention, Bessie started to speak. She shook and her voice broke several times. "Please… sit down, all of you." She waited whilst they did as she had asked. "I don't know how to say this to you…" She shut her eyes briefly, trying to stop the tears.

"Papa's dead?" Pearl looked at her mother with eyes older than her years. Jack looked at her in shock, and the younger children all burst into tears, scrambling from where they sat to be next to her, seeking the reassurance of her closeness.

Bessie nodded mutely. "The Black Pearl is in the harbour, but she is sailing under Bryn Corbin's flag…" She looked at the children worriedly. "Now I want you all to stay inside, close to me…"

"What aren't you telling us, Mother?" Jack asked. She sighed – Jem was right about him.

"You are the man of the family now, Jack," she said softly. "I need you to be brave and to help me…"

"Alright…" His young chest puffed out and he sniffed, rubbing away his tears. "What do you want me to do?"

Bessie told him how she needed him to run to Edmund Morgan's house and explain that Bryn Corbin had killed his father and that the family were requesting his protection... and that he was to come straight back. "And watch out for Corbin's men – they may well be watching the house!"

"I'll go over the back wall," he said grinning, disappearing before she could plead with him to be careful.

"What can I do Mother?" Pearl asked worriedly.

"Keep an eye on the little ones," she replied. "I need to pack some clothes and things. We have to leave…"

"Leave?" Pearl puzzled.

"Corbin wants your mother…" Jem said cautiously. "And he'll not think twice about threatening any of you to get what he wants…" He turned to Henrietta and John. "I need the two of you to find Daffodil and catch her… I'll get a crate!" He smiled as they dashed off, relieved to be of use. "Go," he urged Bessie. "I'll make sure they are safe."

Bessie nodded, handing Emily to Pearl as she hurried up the stairs. Tipping all of the clothes from Jack's chest in their room she started packing clothes that they would need. Her breath caught as she noticed an old black flag from the Black Pearl and Jack's best shirt. She picked it up, sniffing it although it was clean and held little scent of him. For a moment she just sat there, wailing her loss, unable to do anything but cry. "Pull yourself together woman!" she chided herself, knowing that the children needed her to be strong. She now knew how her mother must have felt on hearing of her father's death… she could still remember her tears. But her mother had only her to care for, a single six year old child, whereas she had seven and probably an eighth to care for. She placed her hands to her stomach, wondering – she had missed her last menses and the timing would be right for when Jack was last ashore. The enormity of the task threatened to overwhelm her and her hands shook as she placed the flag and the shirt at the bottom of the trunk before putting a single change of clothes and some night clothes on top of them. She added several pouches of money in the chest before packing the clothes for the children. The trunk was almost full, but she squeezed in a few more pouches of money as well as her jewellery box. Her hand reached to the cross about her neck, holding it tightly. Despite being a pirate, Jack had not given her much jewellery – their treasures had been their children.

"Jack's back!" Jem called up the stairs. Her heart missed a beat, but then she realised he meant her son and not his father. Leaving the trunk open she hurried back downstairs.

Jack looked up on seeing her walk through the archway. "It's bad out there Mother," he gasped – clearly he had been running and he looked frightened. "I couldn't get to Morgan's! There were men fighting… I think they were Corbin's!"

Jem looked at Bessie in alarm. "He's trying to take over Tortuga!" he cried. "We have to get you out of here now!" If Bryn Corbin killed Edmund Morgan then there would be no protection for Bessie.

"But where can I go?" Bessie worried.

"We'll borrow a boat and head to Port au Paix," he decided. "We can walk to Môle Saint Nicholas and take a ship from there…"

"But to where?" Bessie cried.

"To the only place I can think that you'll be safe," Jem said quietly. "To Port Royal!"

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	4. Departure

**Chapter 4 – Departure**

They crept through the darkness towards the docks. Jem and Bessie carried the trunk between them, Pearl carried Emily and Jack struggled with the crate holding Daffodil. The smaller children clustered about their mother – frightened by the darkness and the sounds of fighting. Bessie looked around worriedly – it seemed the whole of Tortuga was either fighting or in flames. Jem had assured her that they would find a boat and that he could handle the crossing – they were not disappointed. Grateful that the boats were unguarded in the chaos, they loaded the trunk and Daffodil into the largest boat they could find, helping the children onboard. "In you get Bessie," Jem urged quietly as he untied it from the quayside, holding it as steady as he could before climbing in himself.

Tabitha cried out in alarm as the boat rocked. "Quiet Tabby!" Bessie hissed. "We must not be seen!" Gulping, the child nodded. "Now, why don't you all settle down and try to get some sleep. I'll wake you when we reach Hispaniola." She watched as gradually, one by one, her children fell asleep until only Jack remained, struggling to keep his eyes open. "Go on," she smiled weakly at him. "Sleep."

"But I need to look after you Mother," he worried. "Papa would want that..." His lip trembled as he mentioned his father.

"Even my brave protector needs his sleep," Bessie assured him. "Jem will stand guard…" She smiled as he gradually gave in to his tiredness, his eyes drooping. Only when she was assured that all the children were asleep did she turn to Jem. "How are we going to get there?" she worried. "It must be forty miles or so to Môle Saint Nicholas…"

"If need be we will walk," Jem admitted. "Although we might be able to buy a small hand cart." He looked at her, realising she was as tired as the children. "Get some sleep yourself Bessie… there's nothing you can do until we reach Port au Paix."

Sadly she nodded, leaning against him as he held the tiller, guiding them southwards through the night. Her eyes closed and soon she was fast asleep. Jem wrapped his free arm around her, keeping her upright. Hopefully the crossing would not take long.

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"What do you mean she's gone?" Bryn Corbin raged, pacing the study of his new home. The thought of having Jack's widow had been the driving force behind his attack on the Morgan household, and now that victory was marred. He should have snatched her earlier, when he had called upon her, but his men had not been in position to attack the Morgan household and he had not wanted to show his hand too early. He had been forced to wait until there were no ships in the harbour, waiting for the sole ship to sail for he wanted to be in control of the town with as little risk to the crew of his two ships as possible. The town would now dance to his tune and any ship wishing to stop there would pay him a tithe for the privilege.

"Just that, Captain!" his man, Jacob Summersby stuttered. "It looks like they left in a hurry though…"

"They can't have gotten far!" Bryn snarled. "A woman, a cripple and seven small children! Somebody must be hiding them! Tear the town apart if need be, but bring that woman to me!" Jacob fled, grateful to be free of his captain – and even more grateful that he still served on The Crow and not the Black Pearl. Bryn Corbin picked up the dainty crystal glass that he had been drinking from, watching with satisfaction as it shattered against the wall. A knock sounded.

"Captain?" His old quartermaster, now Captain Jervis of The Crow, cautiously poked his head around the door, ready to retreat rapidly if the need arose. He had known Jacob's news would not have been well received, knowing of Bryn's fixation with Bessie Sparrow from their time spent drinking together. "Captain? The men are wanting to know what you want done with Morgan's wife and the maids…"

He chuckled darkly. "Find me Sparrow's widow and then let them do whatever they wish… throw them on the streets for all I care!"

"Aye Captain!" Simon Jervis acknowledged, shutting the door quickly. They would find Bessie Sparrow quickly and then they could have some fun.

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Reviews on this chapter?

For those of you that were waiting for the second edit of the first tale of the Kitty saga, all 65 chapters are now re-uploaded and I hope you like them. Please re-read and review if you wish... at present there are only two reviews, although the old reviews were downloaded and are kept safely on my computer.


	5. Hispaniola

Usual disclaimers… are you girls still out there?

**Chapter 5 – Hispaniola**

Bessie woke on feeling the boat shudder as it beached, startled to find Jem's arm about her. "I didn't think you'd want to be giving names at the quayside," Jem explained, moving his arm once he was sure she was fully awake. "And I didn't want you falling overboard… how's your neck?"

She sat more upright, surprised to find it stiff. She groaned, reaching to rub it as Jem scrambled out of the boat. "Give us a hand to beach it," he urged, offering her a hand. Bessie took off her shoes and jumped into the shallow water, grimacing at getting the hem of her dress wet. Jem handed her the rope and together they managed to haul the boat up the sandy shore.

John woke and looked about him. "Are we there… Hispaniola?" He nudged his brother awake and soon the older children were clambering from the boat.

"Stick close!" Bessie cried in alarm, watching as Jack and John started racing along the beach. "Pearl, keep an eye on the little ones!" She handed Emily to her before reaching into the boat to help Frances and Tabitha ashore. "Jack! John! Get back here now!"

"Mama… I'm thirsty!" Tabitha cried as she put her down on the sand.

Bessie looked worriedly at Jem. "We need food and drink," she said quietly, realising that they had brought nothing with them as they had fled. "Will we be safe to enter the town?"

Jem shook his head. "Best stay here and I'll see what I can get," he said. "I am less noticeable than you and the children and he's likely to try to follow…" He looked towards the trunk. "Let's get Daffodil and that trunk ashore, give me some money and I'll go…" he offered, struggling with it even though he knew Bessie had packed hardly anything in their rush to leave. He turned to Jack and John as she opened it, reaching in for one of the money pouches and withdrawing a few coins. "You two will be the men whilst I am gone," he cautioned. "Look after your sisters and your mother…"

"We will!" they chorused, looking pleased at the responsibility.

Bessie handed him some coins, and then a few more. "Try to get a hand cart if you can," she reminded. "We'll never make Môle Saint Nicholas otherwise!"

"Aye Bessie," he smiled. "If not, perhaps a donkey – the little ones could ride at least…"

"Just do the best you can," Bessie sighed, shepherding the children towards the shade. "We'll wait here for you."

Jem nodded, walking as briskly as he could along the shore. The sand made it awkward with his knee and he was hobbling badly by the time he reached the outskirts of the town. He made his way to the docks, reasoning that he was more likely to find a handcart there for they were often used for transporting goods that arrived by ship. He was lucky and managed to find a cart for sale. Even though it was rather dilapidated, it looked as if it would at least get them to Môle Saint Nicholas before collapsing. Once assured of the transport, he wandered carefully through the market, loading the cart with as much food as he thought they would need and then some more. It would probably take them four days or more to walk that distance with the children. His damned knee would slow them too. With a sigh he headed back towards the beach.

"Jack!" he cried. "Come and guard the cart whilst I help your mother!" Jack sped across the sand, John not far behind him in his determination not to be left behind. "Alright, the two of you then. Stand here and guard the cart!" He limped across the sand to where Bessie sat on the trunk. "I've food and water," he assured her. "If Hetty can take Daffodil we can get the trunk onto the cart…"

Bessie sighed. The trunk was heavy and the two of them struggled across the sand, unloading some of the food to place it centrally on the cart. He turned to take the crate containing Daffodil from Henrietta. "That's a good girl!" he smiled, placing the cat onto the cart as well. "Let's have a bite to eat and a drink and we'll be on our way…" The children clustered around the cart eagerly and Bessie rummaged in the sacks of food, handing out bread and fruit as well as water.

"I got some meat too," Jem said, "but it will need cooking…"

"Perhaps we can stop around noon?" Bessie sighed as she cupped her hands so that Daffodil could have a drink. "I'll take the cart first, you've struggled far enough with it already…"

When the children had finished eating, Jem helped Tabitha and Frances up onto the cart. "Pearl, can you hold Milly if you ride?" he asked, smiling when she nodded. "The rest of you will have to walk for a while," he said. "Your mother cannot pull all seven of you…"

Bessie picked up the handles of the cart and started walking determinedly along the trail. "Eight of you," she said quietly.

Jem looked at her in shock. "You're not…" he gasped, hobbling closer.

Bessie nodded, glancing across at him worriedly. "I think I am," she said quietly. "The timing is right…"

Jem shook his head in amazement. Every time that Jack had returned home Bessie had fallen pregnant – if she had not been already pregnant. "When the cart gets too much for you, let me know," he offered, knowing that the two of them would have to work together to get the children to safety. He would not insult her by telling her to take things easy… not when things were so hard on her and the children.

Bessie smiled at him as she carried on walking, thinking that the cart was already too much for her. But every step she took was a step further away from Bryn Corbin and a step closer to safety. She walked on.

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It took them five days to walk to Môle Saint Nicholas. Bessie could not hurry, Jem's leg was bad and the weather turned on the third day from sunshine to a persistent drizzle. She wrapped the children as best she could in their coats, using sticks and their blankets to try to form a rough shelter over the cart, but the rain invaded everywhere. The grand adventure of sleeping out of doors was not such fun for the children when they were wet and cold. Their continuing tears for their father at night did not help either. Bessie was exhausted.

"I'll book you and the children on a ship to Port Royal," Jem offered, "and then I'll head back. If by any chance anyone survived they will head back to Tortuga… somebody must be there to warn them."

"What if Corbin catches you?" Bessie worried, frightened that she would be without his protection.

"I'll hide outside of the town," he assured her. "I'm sure some of the girls in town will give me shelter if the weather keeps up…"

"Do you think there's any…" Bessie began, her eyes pleading, but Jem shook his head.

"He has the Pearl… he came for you… he'd not dare that if Jack were alive," Jem said quietly, not wanting the children to hear and be reminded of their father's death. "You should be safe in Port Royal though… trust Will!" Bessie nodded sadly. "Now, let's see if we can find an inn for the night and some warm food whilst I see about your passage…"

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Jem quickly found a ship that was leaving the following day and went back to the inn to get the money from Bessie. He was glad that they would be able to have a decent nights rest before the journey. He noted that Bessie kept away from the north of the town, unwilling to go near to the house she had shared but one night with Jack. It had been sold now anyways – new people living there. It seemed everywhere here there were memories for her though, and he was grateful that she would leave at dawn the next day.

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Jem hugged Bessie carefully, aware of Emily in her arms. "Take care," he urged before bending down and hugging each of the other children. Bessie nodded, turning sharply, unwilling for him to see the tears in her eyes. He was her last link with the Black Pearl, and now he was leaving her. The trunk was already onboard and she hurried the children up the gangplank, Jack carrying Daffodil in the crate. The crew of the ship pulled the gangplank onboard as soon as her feet touched the deck, eager to be off. The tide would not wait for them, and already it was turning.

She stood, looking back at the quayside as it receded into the distance, smiling to see Jem standing there until the distance was too great. She prayed he would be alright.

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Coughs loudly Ahem… thanks to those that have reviewed, but some reviews from others would be nice.


	6. Port Royal Tears

Usual disclaimers… thanks for all the reviews. I love you all! Even Pendragginink reviewed and I was about to send out the search party for her!

For Drui, they would not hang Bessie as they did not hang the two female pirates they caught with Calico Jack, Ann Bonny and Mary Read, for they were pregnant when caught. Also, Bessie is not a pirate, merely a widow (or wife) of a pirate and that, yet, isn't a crime in my story.

And before the Americans amongst you have a good laugh, Fanny is indeed an pet form of Frances.

**Chapter 6 – Port Royal Tears**

Will looked up sharply as two men walked into the smithy, placing a trunk on the floor. "There you go Mistress," they said, ignoring him and turning to leave.

"Thank you," a woman's voice said quietly. For a moment Will thought he recognised the voice but shook his head. No, it could not be… "Bessie!" he gasped in shock as he saw her walk in through the door. He was even more stunned to see her carrying a small child and another six of varying ages following her. "Mind the…" he warned her, but she had already stopped.

"Wi… Will," Bessie smiled weakly as he stepped forwards to greet her, unable to stop herself bursting into tears.

"Bessie? What is it?" he asked worriedly, fearing that he knew the answer.

"Jack's d… d…" She could not say the word, not to Will who she knew had been one of Jack's closest friends – indeed, more like a younger brother to her husband.

"Papa's dead," Jack said quietly, placing Daffodil's crate on the floor.

The sight of the cat brought the enormity of what the child had said home to Will. "Jack's dead?" He looked in shock at Bessie but all she could do was cry.

"And Corbin wants Mother – the bastard!" Jack hissed.

"Jack!" Bessie chided. Pearl clouted her brother. "Pearl!" Bessie reproached.

"Mother! She hit me!" Jack protested.

"Enough! Both of you!" Bessie shouted, close to breaking. "What must Will think when he sees you behaving like animals?" The two of them had the grace to look embarrassed. Bessie took a deep breath. "I need to see the Commodore… do you think he will grant us sanctuary here?"

"Yes, you must see him, but Elizabeth will want to know you are in town first…" He looked down at the children. "I've met this young lady," he smiled at Pearl, "but perhaps you could introduce them all?"

"This is Pearl, Jack, Hetty, John, Tabby, Fanny and Milly…" Bessie said, sniffing. "Children, this is Will who was a good friend of your father's."

Will bent down and picked up the trunk easily. Bessie had forgotten how strong he was. "Let's get you to our house at least," he offered, still shocked by her news. "Elizabeth can go with you then if you need to go to the fort…" He was relieved when Bessie nodded. "I was just off home for some lunch anyway," he smiled. "I'm sure you must all be hungry…"

All eyes looked at him hopefully, including Bessie's. "Thank you Will," she sighed, herding her children back out the door.

Will walked briskly, keeping to the back streets, but still Bessie's passage was remarked on. Although there was always a changing and growing population at Port Royal, some – like he and Elizabeth – had not moved on. Bessie's departure, and Robert Gillette's death, would be remembered by the town for a long time. He was relieved to reach his home without incident.

"Go on, in you go," he urged as he opened the door, waiting to shut it behind them. "Elizabeth," he cried. "Elizabeth, are you home?"

Elizabeth appeared at the top of the stairs, her eyes widening at the sight of Bessie and the children. She instantly understood their arrival, Bessie's tear-stained face only confirming her fear. "No!" she cried, her hands going to her face as she burst into tears. She ran down the stairs, embracing Bessie as the younger woman started crying again.

Will put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Bessie needs to go to the Commodore… will you go with her?"

"Of course!" she assured him, drying her eyes. "But we'd best go now before troops arrive…" She turned to Will. "Can you look after the children?" she asked. "Billy is out, but Mary and Jack are in their rooms…" He nodded. "Come," Elizabeth urged, turning to Bessie. "We should leave…"

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They were half-way to the fort when they met Captain Groves with a troop of men coming in the opposite direction. The marines fanned out, encircling the family. "I see news travels fast," Elizabeth sighed.

"Mistress Sparrow," Theodore said formally. He mentally counted the children and quickly coming to the conclusion that Bessie must have spent most of her time pregnant since leaving his household. He wondered what she was doing in Port Royal. "The Commodore wishes to see you immediately!"

"We were just on our way to see him, Captain," Bessie said quietly, smiling weakly at his surprise. "Jack is dead…"

Theodore took half a step forwards, reaching to embrace her before remembering his men. He knew how much she had loved her husband, what she had risked to flee Port Royal before, and he realised how she must be hurting. "Perhaps I may escort you then?" he smiled, offering her his arm. He was relieved when she took it, shifting the small child she carried to her other arm. He was surprised at how much she was shaking. His men formed up around them and he walked back towards the fort with them. "You may wish to leave the children at the gate," he suggested quietly. "There was a hanging yesterday…"

Bessie shook her head. "Thank you, Captain, but my children stay with me," she insisted. "At least it will not be their father hanging there…" But she took Tabitha's hand as Elizabeth took Frances' hand, and both women kept the bulk of their skirts between the children and the dead man as they hurriedly crossed the yard without incident.

Theodore breathed a sigh of relief. "This way," he said, leading them up the stairs and along a number of passageways until they reached the outer office of Commodore Norrington. Bessie did not recognise the clerk outside of the office, but she paused on seeing James Norrington standing in his doorway.

"Captain," he nodded, indicating that he wished Theodore to enter his office with the women and children. They did so, Bessie visibly trembling as Elizabeth herded the children through the imposing door behind her. Her future depended upon the Commodore's generosity – and she knew it.

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You all know the routine... you review and I write.

However, I will promise you one thing, IF I get enough reviews, you will know for definite whether Jack is dead or alive by Christmas!

Deal?


	7. In The Commodore's Office

Usual disclaimers… pah!

**Chapter 7 – In The Commodore's Office**

Theodore squeezed Bessie's arm encouragingly on feeling how nervous she was. Once they were all inside James Norrington shut the door, walking slowly to his desk. He sat down, looking up at Bessie who stood before him, her youngest child in her arms and the other children clustered around her.

"This," he said quietly, his hands bridged before his face, "had better be good Mistress Sparrow…"

Bessie looked at him worriedly. "I had nowhere else to go," she said softly, trying not to cry. "Jack is dead…" Silent tears rolled down her face. At the mention of their father's name, several of the children started crying. Bessie tried to hold as many of them to her that she could. "I am here to beg for sanctuary for myself and my children…"

For a moment James Norrington just blinked. "Sparrow is dead?" he gasped.

"That's Captain Sparrow!" Jack retorted, unsure who this man was but not liking him failing to give his father his proper title.

"Jack!" Bessie hissed.

The Commodore barely suppressed a smile at the boy's words. So the child was called Jack he mused – another Jack Sparrow to antagonise him. "Perhaps you could tell me what happened…" he prompted, indicating for Bessie and Elizabeth to sit.

Bessie sighed, hoping that being allowed to sit was a good sign. "I don't know everything," she confessed. "But Bryn Corbin has the Black Pearl… and when we fled Tortuga he was trying to take over the town…"

"It would not be the first time that your husband has lost his ship," he pressed. "How do you know he is dead?"

"Because Corbin came to offer his sympathies," she said sniffing. "He wouldn't have the courage to approach me if Jack were alive…"

"It must have happened just after they escaped us," Theodore suggested. Bessie looked to him sharply. "We spotted the Black Pearl and gave chase. The Black Pearl had some damage – the top of her main mast was missing and she was holed, although it looked as if the repairs were still holding. If she had not fired on that merchant ship, I would have had him…"

"What would you have done?" Bessie whispered.

"Hanged him," Theodore admitted. "Your husband was a pirate, Bessie…" He sighed. "He must have had a run in with Corbin afterwards…"

"And what do you know of this Corbin?" James Norrington asked. He noted that the child did not insist on him receiving his proper title.

"Bryn Corbin is Welsh," Bessie said quietly. "He was captain of The Crow… and he and Jack have hated each other since before I knew him." She looked worriedly at the Commodore, hoping that he would accept her offer. "Before you held me here in the hope of catching Jack… now I offer myself as bait for Corbin…"

"And why do you think he will come?" the Commodore frowned.

"Because he wants me… he wants me because I was Jack's…" Bessie whispered. "All I ask is safety for the nine of us…"

"Nine?" Theodore puzzled. He was sure he had only counted seven children earlier.

Bessie looked downwards, blushing. "I am with child again…" she admitted quietly.

Elizabeth grinned, reaching across to hug her. "Congratulations Bessie!" she said warmly.

Bessie smiled at her before turning back to the Commodore. "I ask no charity," she insisted. "I have a home and can feed my family… I'll work if I have to… please?"

James Norrington frowned. She had not tried to sneak into town, but had approached him openly, asking for his aid – and although the manner of her departure before had caused the death of Captain Gillette, Bessie herself had committed no crime… other than associating with pirates. He sighed, looking at the children. A pirates brood perhaps, but he was no so heartless that he could not turn them from Port Royal. "You may stay," he said finally. "And I will watch for Corbin…"

"Thank you," Bessie smiled gratefully.

"Do you still hold the key to Mistress Sparrow's home?" the Commodore asked, turning to Theodore.

"In my study Commodore," he admitted, shrugging as Bessie looked at him in surprise. She had not thought about who would watch her home after she had fled. "I hoped if you were to return that you would come to me," he said. "If you walk with me I will fetch it for you."

"Thank you Captain," Bessie said quietly."

"If you have no further questions for Mistress Sparrow, perhaps I may see to getting the family settled?" Theodore offered, looking in askance towards the Commodore.

He nodded. "Give Captain Groves a description of Corbin and I will ensure it is circulated to the troops," he said, indicating that she was free to leave.

"Thank you Commodore," Bessie said gratefully, gathering her family about her before following Elizabeth and Captain Groves from the office. Again the two women shielded the children from the corpse hanging in the yard and they were soon clear of the fort.

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Reviews? Well, you have been good so I'll give you two chapters today!


	8. At Theodore's House

Usual disclaimers… sob!

**Chapter 8 – At Theodore's House**

"Annie will be glad to hear you are back," Theodore said as they walked down the hill towards his home.

"Is she still working?" Bessie gasped, realising how old she must be.

"Oh no!" Theodore assured her. "She had to stop a few years ago, but I see that she does not go hungry…" He opened the door, ushering the women and children inside the lobby. Bessie looked about her in shock. The house that had been spotless when she and Annie had cared for it was now visibly dusty and ill-kept. Theodore noticed her gaze. "Good help is hard to find," he admitted.

"But surely your wife…" Bessie began, reasoning that he had probably married since she had stayed at the house.

"No, I am not married," Theodore interrupted. "It takes a certain type of woman to share her man with the sea…" He closed the door behind them, ruefully admitting to himself that if she had not been already married Jack Sparrow when he had met her, he might have courted her himself. He had grown fond of her when she had been forced to stay with him before.

"You have no maid?" she frowned, looking around her in dismay.

"They come, they go," he shrugged. "At the moment they are gone." He looked hopefully at her. "You do not want your old job back, do you?"

"I don't think that…" Bessie began to explain, but Elizabeth interrupted.

"It might be a good idea, Bessie," she suggested. "People would be less hostile if they saw you working – at least you could explain your money easier… and the knowledge that you were working for the captain might cool a number of hot heads…"

"But the children," Bessie explained. "I cannot expect Pearl to care for everyone… and then there will be a new baby…"

"I could do it Mother!" Pearl protested.

"Perhaps the children could play in the garden whilst you work?" Theodore tempted. "A morning or an afternoon… anything…" He could see that she was wavering. "Please?"

Bessie sighed heavily. "May I have time to consider my answer?" she asked. "I have barely been here a few hours and need to get settled…"

Theodore smiled, realising that the battle was half-won already. "Perhaps I could call around to your home later this evening?" he suggested. "You could tell me your answer then?"

Bessie nodded reluctantly. She knew that she owed him for the kindness he had shown her during the time when she had been in Port Royal before, for his protection against Robert Gillette, but the years spent living in Tortuga made it hard to think of him as anything but King's Navy – the enemy.

"I am sure something can be arranged," Elizabeth assured Theodore. "Perhaps the children could stay with me sometimes, but I think right now Bessie needs to see to the children for they need food and drink… and for that she needs her key…"

"Oh sorry, yes… of course!" Theodore turned and opened the door to his study, emerging a few moments later with the key. He handed it to Bessie. "Perhaps I will accompany you," he suggested. "Give those hot-heads that Mistress Turner mentioned second thoughts about trying anything…"

"That would be most kind of you Captain," Elizabeth answered for Bessie, seeing that she was about to refuse. "Then I could pop home to see Will and arrange for him to bring Daffodil and your trunk across to you…" she explained, smiling.

Bessie realised that she was not going to get her own way and suspected that between Captain Groves and Elizabeth her fate had already been decided. She nodded. "Thank you," she said softly. "You've both been so kind."

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So it was that Theodore escorted Bessie to her home and she was soon grateful of his presence as she noticed a number of hostile stares, mainly from marines, although nobody openly approached them. At last she opened the outer door, stepping over the damaged step and leading the way up to her front door. She turned the key, realising regretfully that the place seemed to have shrunk since she had last been there. She remembered it as being small… just not quite this small.

"Mother… this is…" Jack began.

"This is home," Bessie said firmly, her gaze daring him to say anything further before Captain Groves. "Or would you rather we return to Tortuga to live under the 'protection' of Corbin?"

"No, Mother," he said, squirming under the intensity of her stare.

"Some of you can sleep on the settee, perhaps we can rig some hammocks," she suggested, opening some of the cupboards in the kitchen area. Luckily her pots and pans had not been stolen and would not need replacing. She turned back to Theodore. "Thank you for escorting us, Captain," she said, smiling tiredly. "I am sure you must have duties at the fort…"

Theodore smiled wryly, recognising a dismissal when he heard one. "I'll return later, when you are settled," he said, nodding courteously to Bessie as he turned towards the door. He paused, hearing footsteps below and stood to one side, allowing Will and his eldest son Billy to enter before walking carefully down the narrow stairs. Bessie had been right – he had a number of tasks that the Commodore would expect completed before dusk.

Billy put the crate containing Daffodil down on the floor, next to where his father had placed the heavy trunk. He stared at the younger children before him, quietly considering them – pirate children. He looked up, hearing his father speak to him.

"Run back home now Billy," he said. "You're mother will be expecting you back quickly…" Will turned to Bessie. "I will be home as soon as I can – I am sure Bessie will need some help buying things for the night…"

"And some food and drink," Bessie added, smiling as Will looked at her in shock when he realised that Elizabeth had dashed the eight of them to the Commodore before the children had had anything.

"Of course," he smiled. "Perhaps we should make the market our first stop."

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Bessie was glad of Will's company as she tried to keep an eye on the children in the crowded market. Although she received a number of hostile glances, no storekeeper refused to serve her and they struggled back to the house with even the larger children weighed down with bundles of bedding, food, and drink. Jack manfully struggled with two rolled up hammocks - at least there would be enough space for them to be able to sleep that night.

Will left them unpacking whilst he returned to the smithy. He realised that Bessie would need some hooks put up to hang the hammocks from, and he always had a few spare – if he could find them. By the time he returned, the place was already looking cleaner. The children had clearly been fed and Frances and Emily were curled up asleep on the narrow bed under one of the newly purchased blankets, tired from their long day. Daffodil, released from the crate, sat on the large window seat, looking out of the window as if she had never been away. He started as he saw Bessie place a black flag in one of the drawers, putting clothes on top.

"Is that wise?" he asked. "Bringing that here…"

"That and a shirt is all I could bring… and if we ever reclaim the Black Pearl then she will need her true flag…" Bessie replied defensively.

"Regain the Pearl?" Jack piped up eagerly.

"Who knows what the future might bring. But that ship belongs to a Sparrow, any Sparrow and not that… that Corbin!" She smiled sadly, taking the venom from her tone.

Will held up his hands. "Alright," he said placatingly. "Just be careful that it is not seen." He looked around the room, changing the subject. "Now, where do you want these hammocks?"

Bessie frowned, looking at the beams in the ceiling. "Perhaps above the settee would be best," she suggested. "That way, Pearl and Hetty could sleep in one, and Jack and John in the other… which would leave the settee for Tabby and Fanny…"

"I want to sleep in a hammock!" Tabitha protested loudly.

"You'll sleep where I…" Bessie began, but Pearl interrupted.

"I'll sleep on the settee with Fanny, Mother. I don't mind," she said.

Bessie sighed gratefully. "Milly will have to sleep with me and later the new baby…" She put her hand subconsciously to her stomach, regretfully realising that Jack knew nothing of the child she was carrying… his last child. She wondered if it would be a boy or a girl and, remembering Robert, prayed it would survive. Will noticed her distraction.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine," she assured him, turning and looking out of the window, willing the tears that welled in her eyes to cease. She was surprised to see that it was already getting dark. "Just memories…" Only when she felt more in control did she turn back, reaching to tie one of the hammocks to the new hooks as Will fixed the other. Pearl handed her the blankets and soon both hammocks were ready.

"I'd best be getting back," Will apologised, hugging her briefly before turning to the door.

"Will," Bessie said, smiling as he paused. "Could you take some of the money and keep it safe for me?" Jack had taught her the value of keeping money in more than one place and she worried that if anything happened to the small flat she would be both penniless and homeless.

Will nodded, realising her caution. "Of course," he replied, waiting whilst she found several bags of money and handed them to him. "I'll pop in tomorrow morning," he offered. "If you need anything, you know where we are."

"Thank you, Will," she acknowledged, closing the door and bolting it as he left. She turned back to the five children that were still awake. "Right – bed the lot of you!"

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Okay…. Now fall in with the Christmas spirit and give me those reviews girls!


	9. Tortugan Meetings

Usual disclaimers… drat!

All right… I can't tease you any longer.

**Chapter 9 – Tortugan Meetings**

Jem Harvey limped quietly along the lane, determinedly shadowing the stealthy figure ahead. He was sure that he had recognised the man, but went cautiously, afraid of another trap of Corbin's. The man looked like Joshamee Gibbs and he took heart from the thought that perhaps all of the crew were not dead, and that – maybe – Jack was alive too. He paused, hugging the shadows as the person he was following stopped and looked around. His breath caught, but he did not think he had been seen. The person continued, hurrying down a side alley. Jem broke into a hobbling run as he tried to keep up.

"Where is she?" a voice hissed in his ear, a blade against his throat. "Where's Bessie?"

"I'll never…" Jem paused, frowning as he recognised the voice. "Holt! You bastard!" The blade moved from his neck and he turned, catching the shadowy face of Henry grinning at him.

"Where's Bessie?" Henry demanded, whistling ahead to Joshamee Gibbs who was returning with the other men. He nodded to Henry and Jem, indicating that the men follow him back to the small warehouse in which they had been hiding.

Jem looked at Henry in hope. "Jack?" he asked, looking around as they entered the shabby building. Paul Barker closed the doors, watching cautiously through a crack to ensure they were not disturbed.

Henry shook his head. "The Captain's dead," he sighed. "The six of us are all there is… seven including you." He looked up to the rafters above. "An' Cotton's bloody bird!" he cursed, moving smartly to one side to avoid being messed on. The survivors clustered around. "Now, where is Bessie?"

"I sent her to Port Royal," Jem admitted. "Corbin came visiting and made his intentions perfectly clear. Hopefully Will can keep her and the children safe…"

"We must go to Port Royal then," Joshamee decided. "Bessie deserves to know the truth of how Jack died…"

"How did…" Jem began, listening in disbelief as Joshamee told him the series of bad luck that led to the loss of the Black Pearl and the majority of her crew. "I had hoped," he admitted, "that somehow the Captain would return. Bessie was devastated." He looked around at the others. "Especially when she discovered that she was with child again…"

"Again?" Henry gasped.

"Aye. She was waiting to tell Jack when he came back…" He did not say that obvious, that Jack was never coming back.

Joshamee sighed heavily. "We have a ship a few bays east of here," he said. "We'd best head out quietly before Corbin's men realise we are here…" At the mention of the Welshman's name, all the survivors looked nervous. They knew that they were in no position to regain the Black Pearl, and that stealth was their only hope at the moment.

"Let me tell Giselle I'm leavin'," Jem said, "an' I'll meet yer back here shortly. She's been sneaking me food... she'll worry if I disappear."

Joshamee nodded, gesturing to Wyn Bristow to follow him. "Watch his back," he ordered. "We'll head out to the ship now and the two of you can follow…"

"Aye, Captain," Wyn replied, causing Jem to look sharply at Joshamee. He shrugged. "He was th' obvious choice."

Jem shrugged, accepting the reasoning. Every ship had to have a captain, and Joshamee was as good a man as any for the job. "We'll catch you up then," he said, hobbling through the door as Paul opened it for him. "We won't be long..."

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Bryn Corbin paced the carpet, his boots leaving imprints in the plush pile. "Tell me that again!" he ordered.

Captain Simon Jervis sighed heavily. "It would appear Sparrow had a compass, a compass that did not bear true. It gave the bearings to where Sparrow stashed his loot… the Isla de Muerta…"

"Can we find it without the compass?" Bryn frowned. "Surely it is on a chart…"

"Nobody knows where it is, Captain." He shrugged. "So you need somebody who knows the bearings, or the compass itself… It is said to be surrounded by hazardous reefs and wrecks that even knowing the bearings cannot help with. Only the compass can do that – it indicates the safe channel."

"Damn the man!" Bryn cursed. It seemed even in death, Jack Sparrow had yet again foiled him. Momentarily he regretted throwing the body of his enemy into the sea.

"Perhaps…" Simon began cautiously.

"Perhaps what?" he demanded.

"Perhaps we could dive for the body?" he suggested. "There are reef fishers that dive deeply – as deep as that channel if not deeper. With the right persuasion…" He left his idea floating between him and his former captain.

Bryn Corbin reached for the brandy he had been drinking, swigging from the bottle. "Do so!" he ordered. "Take The Crow and bring me that compass!"

Simon Jervis nodded. "Captain," he said quietly before turning and leaving Bryn Corbin alone.

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Jack's eyes flickered open, to find himself staring at a small fish that was determinedly pecking his nose. A shocked cry escaped his lips, well – it would have, but for the bubbles that obscured his vision, scaring the fish away. His hand went to his chest, staring down at the hole in his shirt. Gingerly he felt his body, but nothing seemed damaged. It was only then that he recalled the fish, the bubbles, suddenly realising he was under water. He blinked, frowning, trying to make sense of what had happened. Corbin! The bloody Welshman and The Crow. He glanced up, unsurprised to see no hulls above him. Slowly he looked about him in the murky water, dismayed to see himself surrounded by dead bodies, too many dead bodies, and saddened to realise that most of them he recognised. Clearly the Black Pearl had come off worse in the encounter.

A snarl escaped his lips as he recalled his final moments on-board, when Bryn Corbin had confronted him, taunting him that he was about to lose his ship and his wi… his wife! Bessie! He had to get back to Tortuga as fast as he could. A rage he could barely contain boiled within him at the thought of the other captain even being in the same room as his wife, let alone touching her, forcing her…

A sleek, silvery body caught his eye, then a black deadly eye. Sharks! Already the water was turning reddish-pink with blood, the first feeding shark would attract more. Slowly Jack stood, checking around him for his effects, grateful to see that his pistol and sword were nearby. He picked them up, shoving his pistol into his sash and… what the… he gasped, realising that his compass was missing. Frantically, with half-an-eye on the approaching sharks, he scrambled about on his hands and knees until he admitted to himself that it was not there. Where was his compass?

A particularly bold shark came to investigate him, retreating when Jack punched it sharply on the nose. Never before had he been glad to be cursed, but now he was, realising that taking one of the gold coins to show the children had saved his life. Or, more properly, half-life. He remembered Barbossa cursing that he was neither alive nor dead. He had to find that compass and get back to the Isla de Muerta, but Bessie had to come first. He would ensure that she and the children were safe and then he would worry about the lost compass. Although he knew the bearings, the channel was tricky and he knew it was too risky to approach the island without it. Sighing heavily, he started walking, trusting to the sloping seabed to tell him which way the land could be found.

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There… happy now?

Merry Christmas to you all!


	10. Port Royal Reunion

Usual disclaimers… and even Santa can't fix that!

Merry Christmas to you all!

**Chapter 10 – Port Royal Reunion**

Henry Holt crept through the streets of Port Royal, having drawn the short straw and been chosen to go and speak with the Turners. He hoped he would see Bessie, but knew it was best for now that he did not for he would want to approach her, to comfort her, and that would not be safe within the town. He scratched cautiously on the kitchen window of their home, seeing a light, and smiling at the startled face of Will. In a short while, the door opened. "Henry?"

"None other!" Henry smiled, sidling in past the wary smith. "I need you to get a message to Bessie…"

Will shut the door and led Henry through to the parlour where Elizabeth was worrying her embroidery, muttering curses under her breath. She looked up and gasped. "Henry!"

Without waiting to be asked, Henry sat in one of the chairs, turning to face the two Turners. "I need you to take a message to Bessie. And before you ask, no – Jack is dead. I saw it with my own eyes. Bryn Corbin took us and there are but six survivors from that encounter – myself, Joshamee, Paul, Wyn, Lucas and Gethin. We picked up Jem in Tortuga…"

"Bessie will be abed by now," Elizabeth reasoned. "As will the children…"

"I need you to go to her tomorrow and get her to walk out to the bay. We've a small ship there, not much, but it's a start again. Joshamee wants to tell her himself – we owe Bessie the truth of what happened at least…" he explained.

"I still had hope," Elizabeth sighed sadly, wiping an unlooked for tear from her eye. "I can't believe he's gone. I guess I'll never believe it…" She placed her embroidery beside her. "I will go to Bessie's early in the morning and send her out to you," she offered. "Do you need any supplies – can she bring anything?"

"We could always do with fresh food," Henry admitted. "Fruit especially…" He looked at the small mantle clock. "I must be gone though, and let you good folks retire to bed," he said, rising to leave.

"Thank you for telling us," Elizabeth replied, rising to hug the pirate. "You will all take care now, won't you?"

"As best we can," Henry assured her. "We're going to head back down to the Windward Islands later, keep clear of Tortuga for a while. Corbin will want us all dead if he can find us."

Will nodded. "Safe travels," he said quietly, checking that the coast was clear before ushering Henry through the door. "We'll get Bessie to you tomorrow!"

Henry nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

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Bessie walked through the market, grateful that Elizabeth had volunteered to stay with the children. Her mind was awhirl with the news that some of the crew had survived. Six! Just six! Her mind shrank from the enormity of the loss, even more so than the Black Pearl. Although the ship was Jack's pride and joy, it could be replaced, regained even… the men had been her family. Cautiously she loaded her basket with citrus fruits, mangos, bananas and whatever else she could see was fresh, ensuring the black fabric at its base was not seen. She covered the fruit with a cloth and headed towards the edge of town, remembering the last time she had walked this path – when Jack had been waiting for her in the trees.

"Mistress Sparrow! I am surprised to find you up and about so early!" Bessie turned in horror to see Captain Groves walking towards her. "Taking a walk?" he asked, keeping his tone innocent as he eyed her basket. He knew the path she was on led out of town, to a certain bay, and wondered if she was already consorting with pirates. "It is a lovely day, is it not? Perhaps I can escort you?"

"I… I…" Bessie stuttered.

"Who are you meeting, Bessie?" Theodore asked, taking opportunity to peer beneath the cloth that covered her wicker basket.

Bessie sagged, sighing heavily before looking up at him. "Please," she said quietly, "a few of the crew escaped the slaughter… they wanted to tell me how Jack died. There are only six – they are no threat except to Corbin…" She paused, searching his face, tears in her eyes. "Please, let me know the truth about how he died… just this once..."

Theodore Groves shook his head ruefully. "You'll be getting me court-martialled next, Bessie!" he said, chuckling at her confused expression. "Let me escort you anyway. There are greater threats than a few old pirates along these trails…"

"I don't know if…" she flustered.

"I insist," Theodore assured her. "And then, perhaps, I could carry that heavy basket for you?" He could see she was torn, trying to make her decision. Finally she nodded.

"They won't like it, you know," she warned.

"I will wait at the top of the slope," he assured her. "I will not walk further than that."

"Thank you," Bessie said quietly, still unsure if what she was doing was wise but unable to see a way around it. At least he had not summoned the watch, clapped her in irons and marched her to the Commodore to explain her actions. She handed him the basket.

"Well, we'd best be off then," he smiled, walking down the path as blithely as if the two of them really were out for a morning stroll.

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Reviews?

Drui – Jem was not surprised that Gibbs was elected Captain for it was logical. The look of shock was more a case of being stunned at the confirmation of Jack's death, extinguishing any hope he may have had of Jack merely losing his ship… again! ;)

Pen – thanks for that fascinating information that blood in seawater is black. It's amazing what you can find out reading a fanfic these days! :D


	11. Bessie's Revenge

Usual disclaimers… drat

Thanks for all of the reviews – the majority of which arrived on Christmas Day… anyone would think you guys were trying to avoid the crap telly!

**Chapter 11 – Bessie's Revenge**

"Gibbs!" Wyn Bristow skidded down the slope, stumbling as he hurried across the sands. "Gibbs!"

Joshamee Gibbs looked over the ship's rail. "What?" he asked. "Is she coming?"

"Aye, an with a Navy officer too!" Wyn said in alarm.

"A what?" Joshamee gasped.

"You heard me! A bloody Navy man!" Wyn shouted, causing the macaw to fly up to the rigging in alarm.

Joshamee made his decision quickly, ordering everyone ashore. "We split up, hide in the trees until we know the situation… it could be a trap! Make sure Bessie is safe before we act though – we can't have her hurt!"

As silently as possible, the seven of them climbed to the top of the slope, encircling the trail. They watched in disbelief as the captain handed Bessie the basket.

"Thank you," she smiled. "I had best go down…"

"I will wait here for you," he offered, sitting on an outcrop of rock just off the trail. "I will not interfere, you have my word."

Bessie nodded, cautiously and with more than a little slipping, made her way down to the sandy bay. "Joshamee?" she called out, but there was no reply. "Henry?" Confused and dismayed, she sat on the sand near the abandoned ship's boat.

Theodore paled on hearing a click of a pistol, inches from his head. "Nice an' steady, Captain," a voice said. "Throw down your pistol and sword…" Reluctantly he did so, watching as two more pirates emerged from the trees to collect his weapons, another running towards them along the trail.

"He's alone, Joshamee," the third pirate, Lucas, said breathlessly. He had checked as far as he could along the trail and there was no sign of any troops.

The pistol pressed close against his head. "Now, why don't we go down to the bay an' have a quiet chat?" Joshamee suggested. "Can't have Bessie thinking we've deserted her now, can we?"

Carefully, Theodore rose and followed the route that Bessie had taken to the sandy bay. She looked up on hearing him, startled to see him surrounded by the pirates. "Joshamee! No!"

"What are you doin' with the Navy, Bessie? Why is he with you?" Joshamee demanded.

"I… I…" she stuttered, looking at the scene before her in disbelief.

"I gave her no choice," Theodore said quietly. "I saw her heading out of town and realised she was probably heading here…"

"You're not still sniffing after her?" Henry hissed, drawing his dagger. He had recognised Captain Groves from when he was jailed before and knew that Bessie had stayed at his house.

"I merely wished to see that she arrived safely," Theodore protested, eyeing the blade with alarm.

"So gracious of you!" Henry sneered.

"Henry! Joshamee! Stop! He's telling the truth! Please!" Bessie pleaded.

Seeming satisfied, Joshamee made his pistol safe, smiling to himself as Jem ignored the captain and hobbled across the sand to hug Bessie. "Lucas! Wyn! Watch him!" he ordered, before turning towards Bessie himself. He held his arms open to her, unsurprised to see her burst into tears. "Bessie, I'm sorry love…" he said softly, hugging her as he led her further away from the naval captain.

She looked up at him tearfully. "Will you tell me what happened?" she sniffed.

Briefly Joshamee explained how Bryn Corbin and his men had boarded the Black Pearl whilst the crew were exhausted, sparing her as much of the detail of the slaughter as he could. "Henry was the nearest," he said quietly. "Jack died instantly… he did not suffer…" He handed her the tatty compass. "We saved this an' then jumped…"

Bessie looked down at what he had pressed in her hands, recognising it immediately. "But won't you need this?" she argued, trying to give it back to him.

"It will take Corbin a while to realise he needed it," Joshamee explained. "An' when he does, he'll be looking for us… it will be safer with you. The last thing that bastard is getting his hands on is you!"

"He came to see me," she said quietly. "To gloat..."

Henry took his turn to hug her. "Jem told us all that happened," he assured her. "You were wise to flee – Corbin tore the town up looking for you! At least here you should be safer, especially now that…" He nodded towards her stomach.

Bessie placed her hand instinctively across her stomach, even though no bulk yet showed. "He never knew…" she whispered sadly before shaking herself from her reverie. "I brought you the fruit you wanted," she said, turning back to the ship's boat where she had left the basket. "And a gift…"

"A gift?" Jem puzzled.

"A special gift," she smiled secretively, accepting Henry's arm as she struggled in the deep sand. She crouched down, removing the fruit to reveal the bundle of black cloth at the base. "It was all I could take…" She handed it up to Joshamee, who took the flag in shock, instantly recognising the two birds flying either side of the skull and crossbones… one of Jack Sparrow's flags that had been at Tortuga for repair. He smiled at the neat stitches rejoining the rents in the fabric. "Fly it for me?"

"With honour, Bessie!" he gasped. "An' when we get Corbin we'll be sure to send him to Hell for you!" He caught her glancing at the small, sleek sloop that was their current ship. "Do you like her name?" Joshamee smiled, helping her to her feet and leading her along the shore so that she could see the stern. Clearly, despite a commonly held superstition, she had been renamed and shiny golden letters proudly declared "Bessie's Revenge" at her stern.

"I'm the one that is honoured," she said quietly, kissing the old, gruff pirate on the cheek.

"Start kissing and you'll have a queue," Henry teased, leaning across to kiss her on the top of her head. "I've loaded the fruit, but we should be going…" Cotton's macaw flew across from the ship, landing on his shoulder. "Bloody bird!" he cursed. "Do you think the children would care for it? It is a damned nuisance on board!"

"Of course," she smiled, tears welling in her eyes at the thought of them leaving so soon, although she knew that they could not stay. They were not the Black Pearl, not able to taunt the Navy with their speed, and ran the risk of being caught if spotted. "Keep safe, all of you!"

"An' you, Bessie," Joshamee smiled in response, before whistling to Lucas and Wyn to join them. All of them hugged her quickly, Henry placing the bird on her shoulder, before pushing the ship's boat from the sand, jumping in at the last minute and rowing back to the ship.

Bessie stood and watched them climb up, raising the ship's boat and then the anchor, her sails unfurling as they eased their way quietly from the bay. She knew they would not be able to come back, that it would be too dangerous for them, but she was grateful to them for giving her the truth of Jack's death. Tears streamed down her face as she watched them disappear around the headland and out of sight. Slowly she picked up her empty basket, turning back to Captain Groves who stood a distance away. She walked carefully across the sand, struggling a little with the weight of the bird. "We should be going," she said, accepting his arm as he helped her up the steep slope and back onto the trail at the top.

Theodore nodded, still stunned by the scenes he had witnessed on the beach. Bessie had clearly been close to the pirates, their reactions to her grief had been clear enough. He smiled to himself, for he had caught the name of the ship as she had turned, wondering if indeed Bessie would get her revenge on the pirate Bryn Corbin. Although they did not have much of a crew, the ship looked fast and, with a few more cannons and crew, could soon prove a force to be reckoned with… a force with Jack Sparrow's flag atop their mast.

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Okay – you know the routine – reviews mean updates… savvy?


	12. Uneasy Rumblings

Usual disclaimers… woe is me!

Blue Trinity – Cheers!

Capn – yes, it's Cotton's bird.

Dru – mwhahaha!

Ani – quick reunion makes short story!

Mab – Thank you.

Yoshimi – Nice to see you back. Changed your name again?

Moulin – My chapters end where they end – sorry.

Bules – What imagination you have! Bessie and Theo? (giggles)

Gale – Sorry, this is another no-Jack chapter… but he'll be back.

If you aren't mentioned above, then I didn't get a review from you before uploading.

**Chapter 12 – Uneasy Rumblings**

Bryn Corbin was not happy. "Are you sure?" he snarled at the cowering man before him, despising the informant despite the information he had brought him.

"Aye, Captain Corbin. A pale blonde woman with seven children. She's at Port Royal!" The man bobbed nervously, anticipating another violent outburst from the new captain of the Black Pearl. His hands snaked out from the rags that passed as clothes on his body, catching the bag of money that was thrown at him.

"Disappear!" Bryn ordered, shaking with anger. Port Royal! Why on earth had she gone to Port Royal? Did the stupid bitch think the Navy would protect her? The man fled, leaving the door open behind him in his haste to leave. The butler, who had survived the assault on the grand house, knocked courteously on the doorframe.

"Captain Jervis to see you, Captain," he intoned, making way as Simon Jervis strode into the room.

"Well?" Bryn Corbin demanded. "Have you at least got some good news for me?"

Simon Jervis reluctantly shook his head. "We got the men to dive, even though we had to kill a few for them to risk the waters. The sharks had been pretty busy on the corpses…"

Bryn shrugged. "And?"

"They searched everywhere. I told them we wanted a body with a red bandana and a stripped sash, but they did not find him…" Simon apologised.

"Sparrow wasn't there?" Bryn gasped. "But he was dead! Nobody could have survived that shot, even one so lucky as Sparrow!"

"Most likely the few survivors returned and retrieved the body. Perhaps they buried him somewhere…" Simon suggested. "I spent a while searching, but there was no sign of them either…"

"Well, at least we have one line of enquiries we can follow!" Bryn snarled. "Ready The Crow as soon as possible. We are going to retrieve the one person that is likely to know where the grave is… they would have made an effort to tell her the soft-hearted saps… Bessie Sparrow."

"Where is she?" Simon asked, not having been privy to the previous conversation.

"It seems she has taken shelter at Port Royal. We will wait until the naval ships are elsewhere and then hit the town with both ships. If we cannot get her, get one or more of the children! Threaten them and we have her!" He grinned, delighting in the thought of getting his hands at last on Jack Sparrow's widow.

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Several weeks later

Bessie looked in dismay at her son before her. Jack's eye was blackened and his lip was split and she dreaded to think of the bruises beneath his dirty shirt. "What happened?" she gasped, worrying for Pearl who had gone to the market for her.

"Some boys jumped me," he admitted, "but they came off worse!" He started to laugh, but decided it hurt too much and stopped.

"And what did you do to provoke it?" Bessie asked cautiously, worrying that this was not the first time that he had come home with bruises from playing with his namesake at the Turner household or running errands for her.

"I didn't do anything Mother, honest!" he protested. "They just attacked me… said I was a pirate and should be hanged!" She brushed his shirt aside, grateful not to see marks about his neck. She looked up, relieved to see Pearl return.

"Are you alright?" she worried.

Pearl nodded, but she burst into tears, placing her basket on the floor. "Pearl?" Bessie straightened from seeing to Jack and dashed over to her. "What is the matter?"

"I didn't get to the market, Mother," the girl sobbed in her arms. "I found Daffodil…"

"You…" Bessie began, not having realised the cat was even missing. Now elderly, she had shown little sign of wishing to leave the house and seemed content to bask in the window in the sunshine, ignoring the open window.

"They hurt her!" Pearl cried, pulling back the cloth over the basket to reveal the cat. She had clearly received a kicking, she was covered in blood and mewled pitifully as Bessie touched her. She stopped, her hand frozen as she realised that her tail ended in a bloody stump an inch from her body. She looked up at the faces of her children who had come to see the cat, quickly picking up the basket and placing it on the kitchen table so that the youngest would not be distressed.

"Dance the jig! Dance the jig!" the macaw screeched on seeing the cat, having flown back in through the open window shortly after Jack had returned.

"Nobody goes out alone!" she decided, "Not even you Jack, or Pearl. We all go together or we do not go!" She knew that there had been ill-feeling towards her within the town, but not to the extent that they would threaten her children. She wondered if Daffodil would live, praying that there was nothing injured inside her. "Jack, bring me some towels! Pearl, keep the little ones amused!" She took the basket over to the kitchen table, gently probing beneath the fur of the cat, praying that the few cracked ribs she could were the worst injuries. Jack hurried from the bathroom with the towels and she gently lifted the cat from the basket, steeling herself as Daffodil protested, knowing that she was hurting her but realising it could not be helped. Cutting one of the towels with a sharp knife, she gently washed the area around the stump of the tail, wrapping it tightly with some cloth before tenderly sponging the rest of the cat clean. Only when she was satisfied that nothing more could be done did she rinse the blood from the bottom of the basket, placing the dry remnants of the towels to make a soft bed and lifting Daffodil back into the basket. Worriedly she put the basket by the fire, hoping the warmth would lull the elderly cat to sleep.

Pearl looked up from where she was playing half-heartedly with her siblings. "Will she live, Mother?" she asked worriedly.

Bessie knew she could not lie to the children and she sighed heavily. "I don't know," she admitted. "I have done what I could, but it is up to Daffodil now." She smiled with false brightness. "Come, let's see what we have for dinner, shall we?"

The children obediently walked towards the kitchen area, Pearl picking up and carrying Emily, nearly dropping her in shock at the sound of shattering glass behind them. Bessie looked up in horror at the three large stones that had landed on the floor, smashing her windows and showing the floor with shards of glass where, only a few moments before the children had been playing.

"Quiet!" Bessie ordered, running to throw the bolt on the door, which had been forgotten in the panic over Daffodil. "Sit together, in the middle of the room," she said, hugging the children to her and praying that nothing else would happen. She had thought that they would be safe here, but now she realised she was not. Tabitha started to cry, her tears starting her younger sisters off. Bessie looked at the door worriedly, relieved when it was not forced and no more stones came through the window – or worse. "We'll be alright," she assured them, speaking with more conviction than she herself felt.

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The three boys clustered around the soldier, handing their hands out for the coins that he dispensed. "She'll be scared now, Sergeant," the largest boy laughed, wincing slightly as his loose tooth wobbled. "She's got no front windows, the cat is dead and the older boy isn't so pretty!" His companions chuckled too, but the older man refrained from noting that they too did not look too pretty either. Young Jack Sparrow had clearly given as good as he had received. "Was there anything else you wanted?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Not yet," the sergeant said softly, "not yet. I know where to find you." He might not be able to reach beyond the grave to get his vengeance on Jack Sparrow for the death of his brother, but scaring his widow would do nicely for a start.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" the largest grinned, pocketing his coins and disappearing down one of the many alleyways of Port Royal. Yes, it was definitely a pleasure doing business with Sergeant MacKay.

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Jacob Summersby crept out of town, relieved to discover that Bessie Sparrow and the children were indeed at Port Royal and that, if the informant had been telling the truth, they were living above the chandlery down by the docks. He jogged along the path, anxious to return to the bay where the two pirate ships sat at anchor, hiding and waiting for dark to launch their attack. Captain Corbin, for once, would be happy with the news.

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Reviews?


	13. Captain Groves Takes Charge

Usual disclaimers… pah!

And most of you lot don't deserve this – I don't think I've ever had such a sad number of reviews. Are you still reading or shall I just pack it in and delete the whole lot! There are so many of you that have me on your favourites list and author alert… but you never review and that hurts. :(

End of sulk - suppose those of you that do review would like the next chapter...

**Chapter 13 – Captain Groves Takes Charge**

Theodore Groves walked slowly towards the docks on his way to visit Bessie. He wished she would accept his offer of employment, but so far she had refused, saying that her children needed her to be with them. He looked upwards, staring in shock at her home. The curtains were pulled, but all three windows were broken and the fabric flapped lazily in the light breeze. Anxiously he opened the lower door, hurrying up the stairs to her door. "Bessie?" he cried, knocking loudly on the door. "Bessie? Are you alright?" He breathed in relief to hear the bolt being drawn. The door slowly opened.

"What do you want?" Bessie asked, keeping the door partly closed, shielding the room from his view.

"I saw your windows!" Theodore said worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, thank you!" Bessie said sharply, making to shut the door.

He placed his foot in the way, preventing her. "No way, Bessie! Let me in to check on you and the children – I can help!"

"There's nothing to help with!" she countered, unable to stop him forcing his way into her home. He stopped, looking in disbelief at Jack's bruised face as he glowered at him.

"Mother asked you to leave!" he said angrily.

Theodore turned to Bessie, his gaze taking in the children's frightened faces. "What has been going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Bessie assured him, moving to place herself before the children. "Please, Captain!"

Theodore shook his head, walking further into the room. He spotted Daffodil laying in the basket by the fire. "Bessie," he said quietly. "What has been happening?"

Bessie realised that she would have to tell him. "I don't know," she admitted. "Some boys attacked Jack, Pearl found Daffodil half-dead and now this…" She gestured towards the broken windows.

"You are clearly not safe here," Theodore surmised. "Pack your bags!"

"But…" Bessie protested.

"You and the children are moving to my house," he told her. "I insist! Pack your trunk and I will get some men to carry it for you."

"We will be…" she argued.

"If not for you, then for the children!" His voice softened. "And for the child you yet carry!" He could see her wavering. "Come, I will help you pack, if you wish?"

Bessie turned from him, looking at the faces of her children, her eyes drawn to Jack's bruised face. This time it was just a beating; what would she do if next time it was worse? Slowly she nodded. "We will come with you, Captain. Thank you."

"Do you wish my…" he began, but Bessie shook her head.

"No. Perhaps you could find those men for the trunk. We don't have much to pack anyway, but could you send someone to the Turners to let them know we are safe?" she asked

"Of course," he smiled, relieved that she had, in his eyes, seen sense. She would indeed be safer at his house and, truth be told, much more comfortable. "I'll wait by the lower door," he said. "Hopefully a patrol will be by soon and I can obtain some men."

Bessie watched as Theodore walked through the open doorway, listening as he opened the lower door. She could hear him pacing outside. "Come," she urged the children. "Pick up your belongings quickly. Whatever we leave behind, stays behind!"

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Jack looked around the imposing house, snorting when he realised that the captain had still been unable to get anybody to clean for him. He realised his mother probably would, now that it appeared they were going to be living here.

"I thought perhaps the two boys could share the room at the top of the stairs." He paused, looking at the macaw sitting on Jack's shoulder. "And the bird," he said reluctantly. "The three older girls can sleep in the other front room and you and the youngest two in the room you were in before," Theodore suggested. "You appeared to like looking out at the garden before…"

"I was not looking at the flowers," Bessie smiled quietly to herself. "I was looking out for Jack." She turned to him, her eyes sad as she remembered. "He visited me, you never knew that, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Theodore puzzled.

"Jack climbed in through the window, spent the night with me and was gone by first light." Her eyes misted, but she blinked the tears back. "That is how I told Henry how and when he was to escape…"

Theodore looked at her in stunned disbelief, and then slowly started to chuckle. "I will ensure then that the route he used is properly guarded this time," he said. "This time, any visitors will likely be less welcomed…"

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	14. The Attack on Port Royal

Usual disclaimers… such is life!

Sorry I was down last night, but I've been a bit depressed about life in general and the lack of feedback (other than the usual suspects) was getting me down.

Ani – I've already told you that you can have Theo! Moulin – thanks and hugs. Omala – I know you are a good reviewer… my first ever, still there, and all the more special for that! Mab – the hush-hush story hasn't even started yet, although Ani and I have plotted it out. She has to finish her story and I have to finish this one first before I can cope with it. I'll shout when it does start, savvy! Yoshimi – be careful, a girl needs those braincells. Captain RS – Jack doesn't reappear until Chapter 19… be patient as I promise he is worth it. Cap'n – I'm not giving up yet. Jisatsu – safe is a matter of opinion. Cherrikoo – See above about Jack reappearing. Jack is the only one cursed as the previous curse ended when all the coins were replaced in the movie. Will does not have to be involved at all. Theodore Groves is the one in the movie who called Jack the "best pirate I've ever seen" when the HMS Interceptor is stol… commandeered!

As you've all been so nice, I'm uploading two chapters today. Thanks.

**Chapter 14 – The Attack on Port Royal**

Bryn Corbin watched with satisfaction at the flotilla of ship's boats spread out around him. All but the gunners, and a few men to manage the sails in case of any emergency, were in the boats – in all, over one hundred men from the Black Pearl and The Crow. Their silent entry into the dark harbour had not been noticed and, as the first boat beached, the cannons from the Black Pearl sounded as she sailed into the harbour in the darkness, smashing into the fort above the town. The cannons from the second ship were but a few moments behind, smashing into the town.

All around was chaos.

Climbing from one of the lead boats, Bryn looked around, satisfied at the confusion the two ships were causing. He called Jacob Summersby to him. "Show me where she lives!" he ordered as the rest of the men ran through the town, looting and burning, killing all that stood against them.

Jacob Summersby led the captain of the Black Pearl to the small home above the chandlery, pushing the lower door open wide. He quickly climbed the narrow stairs, frowning in surprise at the second door being ajar. Bryn pushed past him, furious to think that the woman had fled, but the flames outside gave ample light and he could see that neither she nor the children were there. He roared with rage, pulling open drawer after drawer to reveal them empty. "Find her!" he shouted. "She was here today – she cannot be far!"

Drawing his sword he stormed down the stairs, charging towards the nearest knot of marines that were frantically trying to force the pirates from the town. He was angry, and he wanted blood.

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Bessie awoke with a start, terrified to hear the sound of cannonfire booming from the harbour. The older children, in their nightclothes, burst into the room, screaming for her, adding their cries to those of the youngest that were already there. They were followed, but a few moments later, by Theodore, still struggling to tie the laces of his breeches. His captain's uniform coat hung loosely from his shoulders, not buttoned.

"To the cellar!" he ordered. "If the house is hit you will be safer there!" He turned, lighting the lantern in her room. "Come, all of you…"

Bessie quickly slipped from the bed, picking up Emily and handing her to Pearl, whilst she herself carried Frances. Jack ran to get Cotton, for that is what they had named the macaw, whilst she hurried the children to follow the captain as he led the way in the darkness down the grand staircase and then through the small door that led to the cellar. It was cold, despite the balmy night, and the children shivered.

"I will fetch you some blankets," Theodore offered, "but then I must head to the fort…"

"You are leaving us?" Bessie looked at him in panic, frightened of being left undefended.

"Bessie!" He smiled at her in the flickering light, his hand reaching to stroke her face, but he stopped the motion, realising what he had been about to do. He hoped she had not noticed. "They do not know you are here? They have no reason to! Keep the children quiet and you should be fine… there is enough to distract them upstairs if they've a mind to loot, without having to look down here!"

Numbly, she nodded, taking the lantern from him with her free hand whilst he dashed back upstairs in the darkness. Long residence within the house meant that he knew every turn, even in the dark, and he quickly grabbed a number of blankets from the beds, and his sword from his own room, before hurrying back down to the basement.

"Here, wrap the children in these!" he urged as he buckled his swordbelt on. "I will lock the door and be back when I can!"

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Theodore locked the door behind him, fastening the buttons on his coat as he ran towards the town. Drawing his sword, he charged at the nearest pirate, relieved to see several groups of marines fighting nearby. "To me!" he ordered, rallying them in a tighter knot and forcing the pirates back down the hill towards the harbour. Whatever happened, he had to protect Bessie and the children and to keep the opportunist looter away from his house. In the confusion, he saw the Commodore, blade bloodied, as he too fought. Indeed, it appeared that every able-bodied man, and occasionally woman, were fighting to repel the pirates.

They fought on. Theodore lost count of the pirates that had fallen to the combined swords of his group of marines, and soon he sensed the tide turning in their favour. The pirates, laden with what they had stolen, were – it seemed – more eager to flee back to their ships than face them.

It was over.

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	15. The Commodore's Decision

Usual disclaimers… sob!

**Chapter 15 – The Commodore's Decision**

Commodore Norrington stared in disbelief at the devastation caused by the pirate attack of the previous night. Few buildings in the lower part of town had escaped unscathed, either partially burned, totally burned, or just smashed and looted. A total of fifteen marines and ten townsfolk had been killed and those injured were still not fully counted. Sighing heavily, he turned from the window, calling for his clerk. "Send for Captain Groves, Mistress Sparrow and her family. I would see them in my office at the earliest opportunity." He paused, considering his words. "Ensure that they are given an escort," he added, realising that feelings in the town were running high, and would be even higher if they figured out that it had been the Black Pearl that had been attacking the town – and that she had been their prime target.

He walked back to the window, coffee cup in hand, drinking the steaming drink as he waited. He was not looking forward to what he knew he had to do, but realised he had no option. For a while he just stood there, staring unseeing, until shaken from his reverie by a knock at the door.

"Commodore," his clerk announced. "Captain Groves and the Sparrow family as you ordered."

"Send them in!" He turned slowly, walking towards his desk and placing the cup back in the saucer on it's polished surface. He sat, indicating for Bessie to sit in the remaining chair, mindful of her pregnant state and the child in her arms. "It is fortunate that you were not at your home last night for I have been informed that it was one of the properties that was ransacked and burned." He watched her face carefully, noting the fear in her eyes as she held the small child on her lap tighter. "It appears your prediction came true… Bryn Corbin and the Black Pearl, plus another ship that I assume was The Crow, were responsible for last night's attack. For now, I am hopeful that the town will not make the connection between the attack and you being here – but somebody, soon, is likely to associate the name Sparrow with the Black Pearl." He sighed heavily. "I regret to say that, for your own safety and that of this town, I must ask you and your children to leave Port Royal…"

"Leave?" Bessie gasped, her face pale with shock. She turned to Captain Groves, but he looked as stunned as she was. Henry Holt had not been wrong about his interest in her, children or not.

"Commodore," he began. "I must…"

"It is not open to discussion, Captain," Commodore Norrington interrupted. "Already Mistress Sparrow and her family have been attacked." He glanced at Jack, the macaw sitting on his shoulder, wondering who had allowed the bird in his office. "The situation now can only worsen." He looked sympathetically at Bessie. "Is there anywhere you can go?" he asked. "I would suggest outside of the Caribbean would be safest for you…"

"But… but…" Bessie stuttered, still in a daze.

"No family? Either of yours or your late husbands?" he prompted.

"My mother was an only child..." Bessie explained. "I know nothing of kin that I might have in Holland, and you would know possibly better than I any kin of my father."

The Commodore rose, walking across to the large cabinet in which he stored his records, pulling open one of the draws and taking out a stack of papers. He briefly flicked through them before taking one from the pile. Silently he read it. "My apologies," he said sadly. "The details on your father are sketchy, and there is no mention of kin or from where in England he came…" He turned. "What of your late husband? Did he mention no kin? Surely there is somebody that would take you in…"

Bessie sat on the chair, trying to remember where Jack had said his family had come from. He had only mentioned them once or twice, but as she had never left the Caribbean, she could not remember the name of the place, only that it was in England. "I cannot…" she began.

"It was London, Mother," Pearl said quietly. "Papa said his family ran a tavern near the docks of London…"

"London!" James Norrington smiled reassuringly at Bessie's incomprehension. "Oh, you will be safe there! It is a large city, the capital of England. Even if he were to know where you had gone, Bryn Corbin would not dare enter the city – no pirate in his right mind would!"

"It is large?" she said uncertainly, her tone worried.

"Large? It is fifty, a hundred times the size of Port Royal!" He reached for a clean sheet of paper on his desk. "There is a ship just in from London – luckily it was not here last night or it would likely have been destroyed. I will arrange passage for you and the children with the captain as soon as possible…"

"But Commodore!" Bessie protested. "Please, I don't want to leave the Caribbean… I've never…"

"The Caribbean, for now, is far too dangerous for you and the children," the Commodore assured her. "Wherever you hide, you know that eventually Corbin will find you." He sighed. "And after the attack here, I fear that few places will be willing to give you shelter…" He looked to the captain, relieved to see him slowly nodding.

"The Commodore is correct, Bessie," he said softly. "You will be safe in London."

"You had best remain at Captain Groves' house until I can arrange passage for you," James Norrington warned. "I would not go out if I were you – any of you. It would be safer!"

Reluctantly, and more than a little numbly, Bessie nodded, following him from the office and out of the fort.

"If you wish, I will go to the Turners and ask them to visit you at my house," Theodore offered. "And perhaps, if you wish, I could send to you when it is safe for you to return…" he ventured.

Jack glanced at him sharply, nearly unseating the macaw, but Bessie did not seem to read anything into his remark. "Thank you, Captain," she replied, still dazed by the speed of her threatened departure. "I would appreciate that."

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	16. Departure

Usual disclaimers… sob!

Thanks for all the reviews… kissies to you all!

Moulin – you are mental, but I love you for it! You are the first of my regulars to re-review the first story in the Kitty saga. I was beginning to despair that nobody would and wondering why I bothered to re-edit and improve it. Thanks!

Has anybody seen Pen? She has gone awol again!

**Chapter 16 – Departure**

Bessie stood with the children on the deck, watching the town of Port Royal slowly disappear as the ship, The Jolly Maid, rounded the headland. They had boarded quietly, their farewells to the Turner family said in private at Captain Groves' house for fear that her departure would be noted by too many eyes. Will had assured her that he would, somehow, get a message to Joshamee and the other pirates.

She turned, herding the children to the small cabin that had been assigned them. Extra blankets had been found, for the older children would have to sleep on the floor of the deck, but at least they were heading to safety. She wondered what London was like, if it had oak trees such as Chaucer had described.

"What's England like?" Pearl asked, rescuing Frances from a curl of rope in which she had become entangled. Even to her young eyes, the ship was poorly run – her father would have flogged a man for leaving any hazard on the deck.

"I don't know," Bessie admitted to the children. "I suspect it will be cold… I've heard tales that it gets so cold that the rain freezes and comes down as white flakes…"

"That's daft!" Jack snorted.

"No… I think they call it snow," Bessie corrected. "I read about it once…" She hoped that it would not be too cold for the bird, but he had refused to be parted from it.

"You can't believe all you read in books, Mother!" Jack retorted, sounding for a heart-breaking moment like his father.

"Well, perhaps when we get there, we'll see who is right, young man," she sighed, making her own way carefully across the deck. The captain of the ship had seemed a good man, and had been courteous to her when she had boarded, but she suspected the presence of Captain Groves had something to do with his manners. Time would tell – but she held little hope as she gave a judgemental glance around the deck. Her eyes met with Pearl's – clearly their thoughts had been the same. "It is just for a month," she said, assuring them as much as herself. "And then we'll find your grandparents…"

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Bessie's opinion of the captain did not improve over the following weeks as the trading ship headed north-eastwards through the Windward Passage and out into the Atlantic Ocean. The food consisted of a glutinous slop that was barely edible, but eat it they did for fear of going hungry. She kept telling herself it was only for a month or so, dependent on the weather… but the weather was a different matter. Several times that day she caught Jack and Henrietta staring southwards worriedly. The twins had always been close, and their eyes mirrored each others fear as they approached her.

"Mother…" Jack said quietly. "There's a storm coming… Hetty agrees."

She nodded, trusting their weather-sense. All the children had a touch of Jack's gift, but it was strongest in the twins, and she knew it would be wise to heed their warning. "I'll speak with the captain," she assured them. "There may be a port we can reach in time…" Her eyes followed theirs southwards. "How bad Hetty?"

"Bad Mother," Henrietta said. "Enough to make Papa worry…"

This, more than anything, urged Bessie up the stairs to the small quarterdeck where Captain Daxon stood next to his helmsman. "Mistress Smith," he smiled. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"There is a storm coming, Captain," she said, glancing over his shoulder. "Are we near any port?"

"There's nothing here for many miles, Mistress," he shrugged. "Nearest land is west – Bermuda... but there's no need to worry yourself. They sky is clear and we'll not be bothered by storms at this time of the year. Do not distress yourself needlessly…"

"Captain Daxon," she insisted. "My husband was a Captain and he taught my children well. If they say there is a storm coming, then it is coming…"

George Daxon looked at her frowning., his eyes caught by the two children standing at the foot of the stairs. "I have sailed these seas for a number of years, Mistress. There is no cause for alarm…" He smiled, his tone condescending. "Now, why don't you return to your cabin and not worry yourself over this…"

Bessie looked at him in disbelief. "You're a fool, Captain!" she hissed, turning and storming down the stairs, missing the worried face of the helmsman as he looked over his shoulder.

"Maintain this course," George Daxon ordered.

"Aye, Sir," he acknowledged, wishing he could shake the certainty of the woman's tone from his mind.

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Captain Daxon stared at the darkening skies in disbelief, incredulous that the storm had come upon them so fast, and with no warning… well, apart from the words of their passenger and her brood of children. He had heard of people having a sense for storms, but had never believed it… until now. He turned to his helmsman. "Head due westwards," he ordered, watching momentarily as the man, unspeaking, changed course, his hands eager on the wheel. He strode to the railing, staring down at the men on deck. "All hands aloft!" he ordered. "I want every inch of sail possible!" He stormed down the stairs, shouting and cursing the men who reacted too slowly for his liking.

Mark Taunton sighed to himself, relieved that at last they were heading towards a port. The Jolly Maid was not a fast ship, nor was she large. The assurance of the woman's tone had unnerved him and he had wanted to turn westwards several hours earlier, but the captain's instructions had been clear. He kept the ship on course until his duty ended and he went below, meaning to seek his hammock, but he paused by the cabin door of the woman and her family. He knocked.

"Mistress Smith?" he asked, smiling when she opened the door. "You'll be relieved to hear that the captain has ordered us to make for Bermuda…" He faltered on seeing the children wrapped warmly in their coats, as much as possible of their scant belongings taken from the chest and tied into manageable bundles. Even the cat was readied, sitting in it's crate in the middle of the cabin. "Your son has the gift?" he asked.

"All of them have a touch of it, but the twins are the strongest," she replied. "Possibly more so than their father…"

"It is a rare gift, to sense a storm," he pressed, watching her closely. "I've heard of but a few men that have it, and only one of them sailed these seas…"

Bessie looked at him warily. "Their father is dead…" she stressed.

"Aye, I'd heard that too," he said, smiling at her response. "The captain won't hear your names from me… but if it is going to be as bad as you fear, then I'd best prepare for the worst as well…" He nodded courteously to her. "Mistress," he said, before turning and leaving.

Bessie shut the door. "He knows us?" Pearl worried, knowing that they were meant to be leaving in secret.

"We will have to hope he is a better man than his captain," Bessie sighed, fastening the final few buttons on Emily's coat. Her heart lurched as she felt the first winds of the storm reach for the ship, praying that they would reach shore safely.

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	17. The Storm

Usual disclaimers… woe is me!

Thanks for all the reviews… especially to Moulin and Marina who are as mental (but loveable) as each other. Please do keep reviewing, especially the Kitty tales too, but do remember to stop at the end of the first story – the others have not been re-edited yet!!!!

Has anybody seen Pen? She is still awol!

Oh – I have a favour to ask. As Mab let the cat out of the bag and revealed there is a new story in the offing… does anyone speak Italian. I am going to be writing a joint story with my bestest friend Ani Sparrow and our main character is half-Italian. We will need some translations done and although we can use a translation site, I don't trust them with the insults I want her to be flinging at Jack. If you do, either email me or put it in a review and I'll contact you. Ta!

**Chapter 17 – The Storm**

"Captain!" Oliver Trescoe, quartermaster of the Jolly Maid, burst into his cabin without pause or ceremony. "We're taking water! She'll not last much longer!" Already the skies were black, the waves breaking across the bow as the ship fought through the waves. He curled his nose in disgust at the smell of alcohol in the cabin as the man tried to find his courage in a bottle of port.

"We'll not survive in the boats!" Captain Daxon wailed, looking past his quartermaster at the sea in alarm.

"It's risk the boats or go down with the ship, Captain," Oliver retorted. "We are not far from shore!"

"I'm not leaving this ship!" he raged.

"We are close enough to shore… there is a chance if we can get through the reefs that we will be safe…" he tempted, but he could see the man would not be swayed.

"I'm not…" George Daxon began, but his rant was cut short as the ship suddenly jolted, throwing both men to the floor. A savage groaning was audible even through the storm, followed by the sound of breaking timbers. They had clearly found the beginning of the reefs.

"Captain!" Oliver pleaded, but the man ignored him, scrambling about his cabin and trying to rescue as many of his belongings as he could.

Mark Taunton put his head through the door, taking in instantly the situation. "Leave him," he urged. "She's going down fast!" He turned, relieved to see Bessie and the children clustered on the main deck, looking over the side at one of the ship's boats bobbing in the swell below. "Throw the children down," he shouted, trying to make himself heard over the sound of the storm.

"But…" Bessie panicked, looking at him in terror.

"Now woman!" he hollered, picking up the nearest child and dropping her over the side.

"Tabby!" Bessie cried, lunging for the side, relieved to see one of the sailors below catch her daughter safely.

"Come on Mother!" Jack urged, picking up Emily and handing her to the man. "We have to get off before she goes down!" The macaw on his shoulder flapped wildly, taking wing and heading into the night. "Cotton!" he shouted, but the bird had gone.

Bessie watched as one by one her children and then the crate containing Daffodil was thrown to the men below. Mark reached for her. "We must go!" he shouted.

"But…" Bessie looked at him, her face pale in the flash of lightening.

"Ah, for crying out loud!" he cursed, grabbing hold of her and throwing her overboard. He dived in behind her, surfacing near the boat and looking around, worrying when she did not surface. "Where is she?" he spluttered.

"Mother can't swim!" Pearl cried in horror.

"Jesus!" Mark suddenly understood the woman's terror and pushed himself off from the small boat, taking a deep breath as he dived, his hands flailing in the water as he tried to find her. Unable to hold his breath, he was forced to surface, rapidly gulping air before diving deeply again. There! His fingers brushed against something on the sandy floor and he reached down, relieved to feel fabric. He grabbed it, pulling her towards him as he struggled to the surface. He looked around frantically for the boat, unable to see it amidst the storm-swept sea. Another flash of lightning gave him a brief glimpse of his surroundings and he could see the reefs nearby.

"Mark!" a voice shouted, barely audible in the night, somewhere to his left.

"Here!" he cried, relieved to see the boat appear over the crest of a wave and he struggled towards it, the limp body of Bessie heavy in his arms. With a sigh he gave the woman up to the hands that reached for her as others reached for him, hauling him into the boat. He looked up, relieved to see that the children were still all safe, but their mother appeared not to be breathing. His breath came in ragged gasps as he watched Oliver turn the woman across his lap, trying to get her breathing again.

"Breathe, damn it!" the quartermaster cursed, pounding her on the back.

Mark looked at him worriedly, not realising he had been holding his breath until the woman suddenly lurched, water gushing from her mouth as she started to cough. Oliver righted her, sitting her between himself and Mark in the boat as the other men struggled to get it to shore. "You'll be alright, love," Oliver assured her, holding her to him as she struggled to get her breath properly, gasping air into her lungs. "We're going to make it…"

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Bessie struggled from the ship's boat, never more grateful to feel the safety of land beneath her feet than then. She held her bedraggled family to her, ignoring the rain that still lashed them. "Where are we?" she cried, looking up at the men nearby.

"Somewhere on the south-east of Bermuda, I guess," Oliver Trescoe guessed. "We'll have to cross the island and make our way northwards until we find Hamilton…"

"The children can go no further and neither can I… not tonight…" she pleaded.

"We'll carry the little ones," Mark offered, "but we must make for Hamilton. There's no shelter here…" He held out his hand, smiling when she took it, hauling her to her feet. Numbly she nodded, picking up Frances as Pearl reached for Emily. Her children gathered around her, only Tabitha reaching her arms up to him to be carried. He smiled, picking up the child and settling her comfortably. "At a guess, it's this way…"

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	18. Hamilton

Usual disclaimers… ack!

Thanks for all the reviews… Drui – it is just a story! How else could I get her off the ship!

Marina and Moulin – Pen is back! The first ten chapters of the next Kitty tale are currently being re-edited. I will post here to let you know when they are up and done.

**Chapter 18 – Hamilton**

Bessie was grateful for the bag of money she had hidden in Daffodil's crate, and for the other small pouches secreted throughout their clothes. She had been nearly dead on her feet, and even Pearl had begged to be carried by one of the sailors. Bessie had wished she could plead to be carried too, but plodded on determinedly. She bumped into Mark, not realising they had stopped, her eyes unseeing, not realising that they had reached the town and that they stood before an inn.

"We're here," Mark said, his voice nearly lost over the sound of the storm that still lashed them. It was late, very late, and the door was barred. In desperation he banged loudly on it, hoping that somebody would hear him. "Open up!" he cried. "For God's sake, please open up!" Eventually the sound of the bar rising could be heard, the door opening a crack.

"What d' yer want?" a suspicious voice demanded.

"Shelter from this storm would be a start," Oliver Trescoe retorted, pushing the door open wider. "For pity's sake, we've been shipwrecked and there is a woman and her young children with us…"

"Shipwrecked? Why didn't yer say!" The door swung open. "Come in, come in... I'll get the fire restarted. Dry yourselves off and I'll send to the fort. They'll arrange a search for any other survivors…"

Oliver hurried Bessie and the children inside, several of which were still sleeping fitfully in the arms of the remaining crew. "Do you have any rooms?" he asked, his teeth chattering.

"I've a few, if yer've got money," the innkeeper retorted. "If not, yer can sleep by th' fire until th' customers come down in the morning..."

"We've nothing!" Oliver cursed. "Our ship is beneath th' waves for God's sake!"

"I'm an inn, not a charity!" he sniped.

Bessie looked at the bedraggled men. She owed them her life and the lives of her children. "I will pay for the rooms…" she offered.

"Mistress?" Oliver looked at her in surprise.

"I have some money," she ventured, looking at the innkeeper cautiously. "It is not much, but it should see us all to a bed, even in such a fine establishment as this." The innkeeper looked up at her from where he struggled to get the fire relit, catching the sarcasm in her tone.

"Some of you will have to share then," he grunted. "I've a large double which should be adequate for you and the children…"

"As long as it is warm and dry, I don't think we care," Oliver retorted, furious at the man's greed when their need was so obvious. He turned to Bessie. "I thank you, Mistress Smith," he smiled.

Bessie turned to the innkeeper. "Do you have any warm food? Or is that extra?"

"Food's included with th' rooms," he replied, nodding to himself as the fire eventually caught. "Although there'll be nothing until morning. Best dry yerselves off here and I'll see to the beds."

"Thank you," Bessie sighed. She suspected that the children were hungry, but hoped that they were tired enough to fall back to sleep immediately. Pearl had woken and stood beside the sailor that had carried her, and Jack and Tabitha were just stirring.

The innkeeper quickly returned to stand before her. "That'll be a shillin' each fer th' men an' two fer th' double room," he said, holding out his hand and waiting until Bessie reached into Daffodil's crate and withdrew some money, handing it to him. "Breakfast is from seven…"

"Perhaps you could show me the way to my room?" she asked, picking up the crate. Pearl and Jack came to stand beside her, following as the innkeeper grudgingly led the way to the room. The sailors that were still carrying the younger children trailed behind, placing them, still sleeping, on the large bed.

"Thank you, Mistress Smith," they intoned as they left, heading gratefully back to the fire to finish drying off before finding their own beds.

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In the morning, Bessie and the children woke early, ravenously hungry, and headed quickly downstairs in the hope of a warm and hearty breakfast. Even the disgusting food served on the Jolly Maid would have been welcomed, but the food at the inn was not only good but plentiful. They had nearly finished when the doors opened, a number of marines walking into the room.

"You the survivors from the Jolly Maid?" the leader of the men asked.

"We are," Oliver Trescoe replied. "Have you found any other survivors?"

The marine shook his head. "Your ship smashed on the reefs an' so far we've found only bodies… I'd not hold out any hope if I were you."

Oliver nodded sadly. "Thank you," he acknowledged.

"Captain Reynolds would like to see you at the fort as soon as you are able," he informed him. "He'll want to ask you a few questions…"

Oliver sighed. He had expected as much. As senior surviving crew member, he would have to see to the paperwork involved in the loss of the Jolly Maid and her cargo, to assure the investors that there was no foul play before the rest of the men would be free to seek employment on any other ships that they could find. He scraped the last of his breakfast from the bowl before rising. "I'll go now," he said, "if you could point me in the right direction…"

"I'll take you myself," the marine replied, escorting him from the inn and leading the way towards the fort.

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I promise the first word in the next chapter is "Jack"


	19. A Number of Surprises

Usual disclaimers… sob!

As promised, the first word of the chapter is…. Jack!

**Chapter 19 – A Number of Surprises**

Jack skirted the harbour of Road Town on Tortola, unwilling to be seen in the pirate town in case word got back to Bryn Corbin that he was alive. He sailed the stolen dory to a nearby bay, pulling the small boat up the beach. He would need fresh supplies for, despite the curse meaning that he could no longer taste or enjoy the food, a lifetime of habit was hard to break. He concealed the boat under some branches, sweeping evidence of the beaching from the sand, before crawling under the shelter of some bushes. He would wait until darkness before sneaking into town.

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Jack woke with a start, surprised to discover he had fallen asleep. He paused, hearing voices nearby, hugging the darkness.

"We'll hide up here," a voice said. "An' head t' town as soon as it is light. Most of 'em that might recognise us will be still unconscious at that hour…"

Jack grinned, recognising the voice, easing himself from his concealment. "Bloody hell, Gibbs! Yer a hard man t' find!"

Joshamee Gibbs whirled around, recognising the voice but not believing his ears. "J…. Jack?" he stuttered, his eyes searching the darkness, eventually spotting his dark form. "But…"

The other men stood beside Joshamee, equally stunned. "Captain?" Henry finally gasped. "How… you were dead… I saw…"

"Nearly dead," Jack grimaced, stepping into the thin light of the waning moon. "As yer can see, I have a slight problem…"

"You're cursed!" Joshamee spluttered, instantly recognising the skeletal form of Jack. "The coins… how?"

"I took one t' show th' children," he admitted. "Thought it would be funny t' scare Jack…" He shrugged. "Never thought it might save my life." He looked at their ship, sadly realising it was not the Black Pearl. "I take it we lost," he said bitterly. "Bessie?"

"Jem got her to safety at Port Royal," Joshamee said, clapping the now fleshed back of Jack heartily as he stepped back into the shadows. "We went to see she was all right an' gave her your compass…"

"Bessie has m' compass?" Jack gasped, relieved that it was safe.

"Aye, we thought it best to keep it an' her as far away from Corbin as we could. Th' bastard has taken over Tortuga… this is as near as we dare go…" He looked to Jack. "Do we head to Port Royal, Captain?"

Jack nodded. "I must see that Bessie an' th' children are safe… an' get m' compass. Then we can go after Corbin!"

"Are you joking?" Jem spluttered. "What hope do the eight of us have against two ships?"

"We cheat," Jack grinned, a plan already forming in his mind. "But fer that, we need th' compass!"

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They set sail the following evening, having sneaked into town to get supplies. Jack smiled darkly to himself on seeing the name of the ship, spotting his own flag atop the main mast. Bessie, he hoped, would not be the only Sparrow getting revenge on the Welshman. He nodded to Paul at the helm, surprised to see Joshamee leaving the main cabin, his belongings in his arms. "I'm no longer Captain," the older man shrugged, "so I guess th' cabin is yours." Jack ran his hand along the ship's rail, but he acknowledged to himself that it was not the same. She was a sleek ship, but needed more cannons and was no where near as fast as the Black Pearl.

"Thank yer, Gibbs," he replied, continuing his inspection of the ship, his eyes drawn ever westwards towards Jamaica and their destination – Port Royal and his wife.

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Will sat beside Elizabeth, her face pale with shock as she had stumbled against the kitchen table, sitting heavily on one of the chairs. Both of them had nearly fainted when Jack had sneaked through their kitchen door, closely followed by Joshamee and Henry. "So you'd taken a coin," he reasoned, looking up at Jack.

"Yup," he grinned, grateful to be out of the moonlight. "Never been so grateful t' be only half-dead in m' life…"

"Jack, it isn't funny!" Will chided, but Jack's grin did not falter.

"Anyway, t' more important matters than me bein' alive… where's Bessie livin'?" The three pirates had already been to the small home above the chandler's shop and had been concerned to find it destroyed. They had gone to Will and Elizabeth's house as they had no clue as to where Bessie and the children would be living in Port Royal.

"England," Elizabeth said, her voice barely a whisper as she was still stunned to see him.

"England!" Jack gasped. "Why?"

"Corbin attacked the town searching for her… a lot of people were killed. Commodore Norrington thought it would be safer for her to leave the Caribbean. He had her and the children put on the first available ship… before the town could make the connection between her and the Black Pearl," she explained.

"Was she…" he began.

"She was not hurt in the attack," Elizabeth assured him. "There had been some trouble in town the day before and Captain Groves insisted that she and the children move to his house for their own safety…"

"Is that bastard still sniffin' after her?" Henry growled, turning to Jack. "Jem told yer how he escorted her to th' bay that day…"

"Groves…" Jack muttered to himself, unsure if he should be grateful to the man or try to kill him. He did not like any man being close to his wife, other than those he trusted in his crew, but at least the naval officer had kept her safe from Bryn Corbin. He shook himself. "England!" he repeated. "D' yer know whereabouts?"

"London," Will replied. "She said that she was going to try to find your family…"

Jack shook his head wryly. "She'll get little welcome from them," he said ruefully, remembering his father with little affection. "An' she'll have no luck if she goes askin' fer th' Sparrows…" he muttered.

"I don't think she had much choice," Elizabeth said, ignoring his confession that Sparrow was not his given name. "She knew no others that she could turn to… and the Jolly Maid arrived the day after the attack."

Jack sighed, turning to Joshamee. "Looks like we've a trip t' London then," he reasoned.

"London!" Joshamee cried in alarm. "It ain't safe for us there!"

"We won't look like pirates!" Jack explained, rolling his eyes for good measure. "We hit a few ships before we leave, get ourselves a cargo, an' go as traders…"

"Oh…" Joshamee said, still unsure of Jack's plan, but if it meant getting Bessie and the children back, he would go along with anything.


	20. London

Usual disclaimers… get used to them!

And yet again, the first word of the chapter is…. Jack!

**Chapter 20 – London**

Jack looked at the docks of London wearily, dourly realising how little they had changed. The journey had been rough and they had been forced further east than he had wanted by a number of vicious storms, which had lost them the best winds, causing the ship to take far longer than usual to cross the ocean. He sighed as an officious looking man with a heavy ledger walked along the dock towards them. "Remember who we are," he cautioned the men, putting on his most welcoming smile for the approaching official who had stopped at the base of the gangplank. Jack walked down to meet him, smoothing the creases in his frock coat as he went. None of the men looked like pirates and Jack looked the part of a respectable merchant captain.

"Who are you an' what's your cargo, Sir?" the man asked, clearly bored with his duty.

"Captain Johnson," Jack replied, his smile unwavering. "I've a cargo of sugar and rum from th' Caribbean…"

"You'll be paying duties on those," the man smiled. "How much of each item?" He grunted as Jack told him the extent of the cargo, totting figures up in the ledger. "That will be a duty of six gold pieces," he reasoned, nodding as Jack placed each coin into his clutching hand. "And a mooring fee of five shillings…" Jack handed over more money and gratefully took his receipt. "Good day to you, Sir," the man nodded.

"It's Captain," Jack reminded him sourly.

"Captain… my apologies," the man coloured. "May I wish you good trading..."

"Thank you," Jack replied, grateful to see the official turn and walk further down the dock to another ship that had just arrived. He turned to his own ship. "Gibbs, yer know th' city – sell th' cargo fer as good a price as yer can." He grinned. "Might as well make a good profit."

"Aye, Captain," Joshamee replied, walking down the gangplank to stand beside him. "Will you be needin' anybody t' go with you?"

"No," Jack replied, looking slowly along the dockside as he spoke. "I go alone."

"Well take care then," his quartermaster cautioned, watching as Jack quickly disappeared in the crowds.

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Jack sighed, looking at the run-down frontage of The Leathern Bottle, realising he could not put off going in any longer. He had run away when a teenager, stowing away on one of the many ships at the docks. There had been times he had wished he had not done so, but the good times had on the whole outweighed the bad. Indeed, if he had not been a pirate, he would never have met Bessie. He wondered if she was inside or out shopping, and what she made of the city for it was far larger than anything she had ever encountered before. He took a deep breath and walked across the narrow street, pushing open the door.

He blinked, his eyes taking a moment to grow accustomed to the dim, smoky interior. By memory, he made his way over to the bar. "Ale," he ordered, slapping his money down on the bar. He did not recognise the man serving, so took his drink to a table and waited. Finally, after another ale, he recognised someone and made his way back to the bar.

"Jacob," he said quietly. "Can we speak somewhere private?"

His younger brother turned sharply, blinking with surprise. "John?" he gasped, staring at the respectable looking gentleman before him. "John? Is it really you?"

Jack grinned. "Aye…"

Jacob looked around, realising that they were drawing curious glances from the other customers. "You'd best come into the back…" he offered, leading the way through the bar to the family rooms.

"Is Father about?" Jack asked cautiously, not eager to be reunited with him.

"No… he died… must be seven years ago now. Mother followed soon after." A fist shot out, catching Jack full in the face. "You bastard!" he cursed. "You broke mother's heart, you useless shit!"

Jack grimaced, wiping the blood from his lip. "And a hearty welcome to you too, brother," he said sarcastically.

"Why did you come back anyway?" Jacob demanded. "You never cared for th' place when you lived here! You'd better be gone before James gets home – he's been wanting t' kill you for years!"

Jack frowned. Clearly feelings between him and his older brother had not improved during their years of separation. "I'm looking for my wife…" he ventured. Even if she had not known his true surname, he could try to trace her from the ship that she arrived on.

"Wife?" Jacob gasped. "Somebody was dumb enough to marry you?" He frowned, looking at Jack. "Why do you think she'd be here?"

"M' wife an' children left the Caribbean three months ago, heading here," he explained. "On th' Jolly Maid from Port Royal…"

"The Jolly Maid?" Jacob frowned, trying to recall why the name sounded familiar. "The Jolly…." He paused, looking sharply at his brother. Although he had hated his brother for deserting the family for many years, he found it hard to look him in the eyes as he realised why he recognised the name of the ship. He sighed heavily, remembering the gossip in the tavern from a number of weeks before. She had been carrying a full cargo of cotton and a number of those that had invested in her had been ruined. "The Jolly Maid was lost off Bermuda," he said quietly.

Jack went pale. "Any survivors?" he gasped, supporting himself against a chair.

Jacob shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "You'd best head to the insurers… they'd be the ones to know." Jack nodded numbly, turning without speaking. "Will you be all right?"

"I'll tell yer later…" he said, walking from the room in a daze., through the bar and back out onto the street The ship had been lost. The enormity of it threatened to overwhelm him and he leaned back against a wall, his head in his hands. Were Bessie and the children dead? He reached for his dagger as a shadow fell across him, but it was only his brother.

"I think I'll go with you," Jacob said. "You're in little state t' be left on yer own…"

Jack shook his head. "I'll be fine…"

"An' do you know where the insurers are?" Jacob reasoned. "They hadn't even formed when you were last here…" Jack shook his head ruefully. "Come on, I'll show you."

Jack followed his brother through the familiar streets of London, to a more prosperous part of town. He stopped outside of a newly built property, taking off his cap before walking inside. Jack, too, removed his hat and entered.

"Can I help you?" an officious looking clerk looked up at them, instantly dismissing Jacob in his workman's clothes and turning to Jack.

"I'm lookin' fer information on th' Jolly Maid," he said, dreading the man's reply.

"And pray what would your interest be?" the man said, looking suspiciously at him.

"M' wife and children were aboard," Jack said, his voice catching. "I know th' ship was lost… but can yer tell me if there were any survivors?"

The man regarded Jack for agonising moments. "I'll have to ask permission of the partners," he said, the grief and worry on Jack's face persuading him of the honesty of his words. He disappeared into a back room, returning a few minutes later with a heavy ledger. "The Jolly Maid, you say..." He flipped through the book, eventually finding the page he was looking for. "Ah, yes. She went down off Bermuda and all cargo was lost…"

"And passengers?" Jack prompted, caring little for bales of cotton or whatever else the ship might have been carrying. "What about the passengers?"

The clerk closed the book slowly. "I am sorry, Sir. The accounts say nothing about passengers, merely that the ship and cargo was lost in an unseasonal storm." He paused, before continuing sympathetically. "The report was filed by the ship's quartermaster, Oliver Trescoe, at Hamilton. If anybody would know about any passengers, it would be him."

"And where would I find him?" Jack demanded.

"I am afraid I do not know," the clerk replied. "Although I would suggest that you try asking in Hamilton…"

"Bermuda then." Jack nodded. "Thank yer," he replied numbly, still stunned by the news. He had come to London in the expectation of a reunion with Bessie and the children and now he did not know if they were alive or dead. What was he going to do?

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Da-da-dum… reviews girls?


	21. Gifts

Usual disclaimers… sigh!

Woohoo for Johnny's second Oscar nomination!

Back with Bessie for this chapter… when will a reunion happen?

**Chapter 21 – Gifts**

Bessie sighed heavily, rubbing her back as the weight of her pregnancy threatened to overwhelm her. Although she was only six months gone, the burden was becoming unbearable. Already she was as large as she had been when Emily had been born, and she feared that, yet again, she was carrying twins. It was mid-afternoon and she had just finished her lunch-time job at one of the taverns – clearing tables and washing up in the kitchens.

"Bessie!" a voice cried.

She paused, turning, smiling as she saw Mark Taunton walking towards her. He had managed to find employment on a ship that sailed between Hamilton and the Americas, and he was often in town. He grinned, embracing her.

"Mark," she smiled tiredly. "I didn't know you were back…"

"Just returned this morning," he grinned. "Any chance of a home-cooked meal if I add to the pot?" he asked hopefully.

"You will have to," she said tiredly. "The rent is due today an' we've no meat until I get paid…"

"Well I just have," he smiled. "So let me buy and you can cook… deal?"

"We have an accord," she smiled, slipping without thought into pirate-speak. Oliver and Mark often stopped by to visit her, as did a number of the other survivors, although only Mark knew her for who she really was. She felt more at ease with him, not having to watch her tongue. Soon, he had purchased a number of fat chickens and enough vegetables for a large pot of stew.

He walked back with her to the small two-roomed cottage that she rented, not having enough money to buy a home following the loss of the Jolly Maid. Indeed, if it had not been for her pearl necklace, things would have been far worse. The cross that Jack had given her now hung about her neck on a blue ribbon and most of the pearls had been bartered for things that she and the children had needed. Now only four remained, hoarded for when things got worse… not that she could envisage it. Things were bad enough already.

"Have you thought on my offer?" Mark ventured, pausing as they reached the door.

Bessie smiled at him sadly. "You are too kind, Mark," she sighed. "But I am not ready to look for another husband… and I do not know yet if I even want one."

"I know I cannot measure up to him," Mark said wryly. "But perhaps… one day…" She shook her head and he shrugged. "Well, you cannot blame a man for trying," he smiled. "If friendship and a hearty meal is all you are offering, I'll not press for more."

"Thank you, Mark," she said softly, "for understanding…"

"You're welcome," he replied, opening the door for her and standing aside to allow her to enter first. He smiled as a chorus of "Uncle Mark!" echoed from within. Although he realised Bessie would never be more than a good friend to him, he always felt at home with her and the family – and there was always the hope that one day she might change her mind. "Ah," he chuckled. "Here's my favourite group of ruffians!" He handed Bessie the chickens and reached into the small sack he had been carrying. "I wonder what I've got in here…" he teased.

"Presents!" Tabitha cried excitedly, climbing up onto one of the chairs in the hope of a better view. "Presents!"

"Do you think you deserve a present?" he smiled.

"No, she doesn't," Jack retorted. "She's a horrid monster!"

"Am not!" she cried, jumping from the chair and landing on her older brother, the weight of her knocking him to the ground.

"Ow, get off Tabby Cat!" he pleaded. "I was only jokin'!"

Mark laughed. "Well, I guess we'll do it by age then, and make this ferocious tiger wait!"

"Want mine now!" she wailed.

"Tabitha!" Bessie chided from the small kitchen area where she was busy plucking the birds. "Mark does not have to bring you presents and you should be grateful when he does."

"Yes, Mama," Tabitha pouted, forming a queue with the rest of the children, pushing her way between John and Frances, poking her tongue out at Jack who smirked at her, taking his place ahead of her.

Mark peered into the sack, drawing forth a number of small packages wrapped in paper. "Mmmm, Pearl first," he grinned, handing the first package to the patiently waiting girl. She grinned excitedly, opening it to reveal a length of pretty blue ribbon with dainty embroidered daisies.

"Mama, look!" she cried, dashing across to show Bessie who smiled at Mark for his thoughtfulness. He smiled back, before turning to the twins. "All right, now which one of you was born first," he teased. "I can never remember…"

"I was," Jack replied.

"Well, just for this once, you'll have to let Hetty go first…" Mark apologised, handing Henrietta a parcel. Squealing, she tore open the paper to reveal another generous length of ribbon, this time green and embroidered with more flowers.

Mark now turned to the two boys who stood before him. "I debated what colour ribbon to get you," he teased, "but decided on these instead…" He drew from the sack two larger items, handing one to Jack and the second one to John. Both boys quickly unwrapped them, looking in surprise at the small wooden swords. Bessie looked at him in surprise. "Well," he shrugged. "There isn't much to do on board when m' watch is done…"

"Thank you," she smiled, surprised that he had made them himself. For a brief moment she wished she could offer him more than friendship, but her grief for Jack was still far too raw within her heart. Almost immediately, the two boys started attacking each other, shouts of "Take that!" rebounded throughout the cottage as they raced from room to room.

"Now me!" Tabitha cried, jumping up and down excitedly. "My turn!" She pouted as Mark handed her a small package of the same size that her sisters had. "I wanted a sword!"

"Tabby!" Bessie barked. "Mind your manners!"

Tabitha looked sulkily at her mother, opening the package to reveal yet another length of ribbon. This time it was yellow and had been embroidered with little cats. "There is an elderly lady in Boston who sells them and I saw that one and thought of you," Mark said, tousling Tabitha's hair. He walked across to where Bessie sat, handing her another three packages. "There's one each for Fanny and Milly," he said, "and one for you…"

"For me?" Bessie looked up at him in surprise, wiping her hands in her apron before taking the packages from him. She opened them to reveal a pink ribbon for Frances and a red one for Emily, both embroidered with flowers. "Thank you," Bessie smiled.

"And your package?" he tempted. Slowly Bessie unwrapped the final parcel, to reveal a creamy coloured ribbon embroidered with small brown birds. "She assured me they were sparrows," he smiled.

Bessie looked at him, her eyes filling with tears. "Thank you," she sniffed. "It is very kind of you…"

"You're welcome," he assured her as she placed the ribbons safely to one side as she continued to pluck the chickens. "Do you want me to start on the vegetables?" He reached for a knife and then one of the carrots that they had bought, working in companionable silence until a loud knock shattered the peace.

Bessie rose, wiping her hands, and answered the door. "Mister Hatten," she began.

"Do you have your rent?" he sneered, hoping that she could not pay. He had a number of ill-repaired properties that he rented to those that could afford no better, often demanding sexual favours from those that fell behind with their rent. He had increased the rent recently, but still the woman found the money from somewhere.

Bessie reached into the small purse at her waist, drawing forth the few coins she had and handing them to him. "You're short," he grinned.

"I am not," she argued. "That is the rent we agreed!"

"That was last month!" he retorted. "You need another shilling this month!"

"Another…" Bessie looked at him in horror.

"If you can't pay, there are others who can," he threatened.

"Is something the matter, Bessie?" Mark rose from where he had been sitting at the kitchen table.

"Th' rent…" she began.

"I thought it was just you an' th' children livin' here!" Peter Hatten sneered. "It'll cost yer more fer another person!"

"Mark is a friend!" Bessie protested. "He does not live here!"

"That's what they all say," the landlord snorted. "You are a shillin' short an' it'll be an extra shillin' per month for him!"

"But he doesn't live here!" she cried.

"Don't look like that to me," he argued. "Now, two shillings or you and your brats can sleep on the street tonight!"

Mark realised that nothing either he or Bessie could say would persuade this man otherwise, so he reached into his purse, drawing forth the required two shillings. The landlord snatched the money from him, disappointed at being foiled again. He snorted, turning on his heels and stormed down the street.

"I am sorry," Mark apologised. "I would have kept myself hidden if I had known…"

"It was not your fault," she assured him. "He would have found some excuse to rise the rent… you were just convenient."

"And when you can't pay?" he asked.

Bessie looked at him worriedly. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I honestly don't know…"

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Reviews?


	22. To Bermuda

Usual disclaimers… sigh!

But I'm putting up two chapters today… just because!

Pen – if you are reading this, Ani has told me of your problems with emailing me! Hang in there and send anything via her if you can't get through to me.

**Chapter 22 – To Bermuda**

Jack followed Jacob back through the narrow streets, heading back to Bessie's Revenge. "Is this your ship?" Jacob asked, looking at the vessel in surprise.

"Aye, fer now," Jack said. "Until I get th' Pearl back…"

"Bessie's Revenge? Doesn't sound like a trader," he chuckled. "More like a pirate!"

"Watch your tongue!" Jack hissed, alarmed to see a number of people seeming to look towards them.

Jacob looked at his brother in surprise. "You mean…" he said cautiously. "Jesus! I was only joking!"

"Jacob!" A voice shouted from along the docks and both brothers looked in dread towards it's source. "Jacob!" Why aren't you working? We have a delivery and the drayman has been waiting for you!"

Jacob looked at Jack, who shrugged. "Because I've been helping John here…" he explained.

"J... John!" Belatedly, James recognised his brother. "You bastard!" he cursed, throwing a punch which Jack easily dodged. His older brother took after their father, bull-thick and just as stupid. "What are you back for, you useless bastard?"

"He's looking for his…" Jacob began, but Jack held his hand for silence.

"It doesn't matter what I'm here fer," he retorted, staring his brother in the eye and wondering how his childhood enemy had seemed to have shrunk over the years. "An' I was just leavin'."

"You can't leave soon enough!" James snarled. "Jacob, get back to work!"

"No," Jacob said quietly, enjoying seeing his bullying brother have little effect on Jack.

"What?" James snarled. "Get back to work before I have you whipped!"

Jack realised that he could not leave Jacob behind, fearful of what James would do to him if he did for daring to stand up to him. His younger brother took after their mother's side of the family, tall and slender, as did he. "Jacob, up th' gangplank an' tell m' quartermaster t' make ready t' sail..."

"Your quartermaster?" James sneered, putting out a hand to stop Jacob. "You're going nowhere boy!"

Jack's fist caught James full in the face, knocking him unconscious. Jacob paused at the bottom of the gangplank, looking in stunned disbelief as Jack turned from James. "Up th' gangplank now," he urged. "Quickly…" The two brothers hurried on board, and Jack spoke quietly to him. "Here m' name is Jack Sparrow," he cautioned. "I trust yer not t' use our real names here."

"Then what should I call myself?" Jacob asked, puzzled.

"Jacob Sparrow, if yer need t' give yer name. They'll know yer as m' brother… we're too alike fer it t' be chance."

"Captain?" Joshamee walked forwards towards them.

"Make ready t' leave," Jack ordered. "An' draw up th' gangplank before th' buffoon wakes!" Already a crowd of onlookers had gathered about the prone man, a number of them trying to bring him round.

"Aye Captain," the quartermaster acknowledged. "Um… Bessie?"

For a moment, a pained look flitted across Jack's face before his normal mask returned. "She's not here. We have t' search at Hamilton…"

"Bermuda?" Paul gasped, blatantly eavesdropping nearby.

"Aye, so make haste!" Jack urged, pleased to see the men scrambling quickly up into the rigging. He turned to Joshamee. "This is m' brother, Jacob," he introduced. "He'll be travellin' with us, without favours…"

Joshamee nodded. "Have you sailed before?" he asked.

"No…" Jacob said, wondering for a moment what he had gotten himself into. He shrugged, reasoning it could be little worse than working at the tavern.

"Well, yer'll learn soon enough if yer a Sparrow," he grinned. "Keep out th' way for now an' I'll show you what to do once we leave th' estuary…"

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Jack called the crew together when they were clear of the estuary, heading southwards for the English Channel. Paul Barker stood at the helm. He leaned against the main mast, watching the mens' faces as they gathered around.

"All right," he said quietly. "I'll say this once an' I'll not be repeatin' it." He paused, taking a deep breath. "We all know Bessie an' th' children left Port Royal on th' Jolly Maid, but what yer don't know is that th' ship went down in a storm off Bermuda…" He was forced to stop as startled cries echoed around the deck.

"And Bessie?" Jem demanded. "Th' children?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Th' insurers said that there was at least one survivor – the ship's quartermaster. His name is Oliver Trescoe an' we have t' find news of him, or better still, m' family at Hamilton. There was no record of the ship carrying passengers, but from what Will said, th' Commodore didn't give the Captain of the ship much choice in the matter…" He sighed heavily. "So we could find one survivor, or eight…"

"Nine…" Jem said quietly, causing Jack to look at him sharply. "You left Bessie with child again…"

Jack found his gaze drawn westwards, roughly in the direction of Bermuda. "One… nine… none…" he said softly, striding quickly into the master cabin and slamming the door behind him, not wanting the men to see his tears.


	23. Bermuda

Usual disclaimers… sigh!

Okay – remember, two chapters means two reviews! Hehehehehe!

Pen –there is a special line in this, just for you... I wonder if you can spot it?

Oh – and Fanfic seem to be shortening very long reviews. This might affect Pen only, but just thought you all ought to be aware. I have been saving all my reviews onto my hard-drive and printing them off… and a number of them had /TD> after them. Luckily they were old reviews that I still had in my emails and I was able to recover the text. It doesn't seem to be affecting the newer reviews… but better safe than sorry.

Number 21... you've caught up.. for now!

**Chapter 23 – Bermuda**

Yet again the weather was against them, the storms seeming to want to keep Bessie's Revenge from her destination. Jacob settled quickly on board, his willingness to try his hand at anything quickly winning over the men who had been initially unsure as to how to react to him being Jack's brother. But he expected no favours, and he was not disappointed except when Jack kept him from the rigging during one of the storms, fearing it too rough for his inexperience.

Every day, Jack would rise and take their bearings, marking their position on the chart, wishing they could make better speed. Some days Joshamee wondered if he would wear a rut into the deck with his pacing, but none of the crew blamed him. They all loved Bessie and the children in their own way, and dreaded to think what Jack must be feeling.

Eventually though, nearly two months after leaving London, Bessie's Revenge sat at anchor in a quiet bay a short distance from Hamilton. Although they were not known as pirates here, they were still close to the Caribbean and Jack did not want to take any chances with the ship being recognised.

"Jacob an' I will go t' town an' ask around t'night," he informed them. "We should be able t' find out about th' Jolly Maid once th' taverns fill…"

"You watch the moonlight then," Joshamee cautioned, for the sky was clear, although the air held the scent of rain. The full moon was only just waning.

Jack raised one eyebrow, making his quartermaster shuffle his feet as his obvious remark. "I was goin' t' dance naked in th' middle o' th' square," he retorted sarcastically.

"Aye… yes… well, um… just take care," Joshamee replied, before hurrying off to find something to do before he embarrass himself further.

Jacob emerged from below deck. "Are you ready?" he said, looking around at the bay in surprise. Never having been outside of London in his life before now, the place looked exotic and mysterious in the deepening gloom of dusk.

"Just waitin' fer you," Jack said, climbing down to the small ship's boat and picking up the oars. Jacob had yet to learn the finer points of rowing, and he wanted to get ashore as quickly and as dry as possible. Once his younger brother joined him in the boat, he started towards shore, eager to at last find some definite news of his family.

They beached the boat and pushed their way through the undergrowth until they emerged onto a narrow, rutted track. Turning south-eastwards, they headed towards Hamilton.

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Bessie sat quietly on a crate by the dockside, wanting a few moments alone before she returned home. Mark was staying with her whilst his ship was in the harbour, helping Pearl look after the others whilst she worked. He had moved in after the landlord had started charging for him, reasoning that it would not hurt as he was already paying. He slept in the main room, away from Bessie and the children. The children… her hand fell to her stomach, resting on the bulge gently. That day she had bartered away her last pearl, earning enough to pay the rent for a further month… but after that?

The enormity of it all overwhelmed her and for a while she sat there, staring out at the harbour as she wept. Already she was taking in laundry and sewing, Pearl helping her, and Jack had started running messages for the captains along the docks, earning whatever pennies he could. She did not know how they would manage when the babies were born, for she feared she was carrying twins. Indeed, she had not been so huge since she carried Jack and Henrietta. "What am I to do with nine children?" she sighed.

She knew Peter Hatten for what he was, having heard tales of him from others. There was no way she would sleep with him in order to get a lower rent and she feared that soon the ten of them would be living out on the streets. "Can't do much about it sitting here," she chided herself, forcing herself to rise and head home. The children would be worrying, for it had begun to rain and already she was late.

When she reached home, the door was already open and Pearl was cautiously peering out into the night. "Mother!" she cried. "Have you seen Daffodil?"

Bessie hurried inside out of the rain, which was getting heavier. "Isn't she indoors?" she worried, knowing that the elderly cat almost never went out, and most especially not in the rain.

"I opened the door to look for you and she ran out," Pearl explained.

"Here, I'll go and look," Mark offered, reaching for his cloak.

"No. I'd best go," Bessie reasoned. "Daffodil won't come to you… she doesn't like men that much…" She sighed, remembering how the cat had loved Jack though, and had often followed him down to the docks of Tortuga when he left.

Mark nodded, handing her her own cloak from the peg near the door. "Do you want me to come with you?" he offered, seeing how tired she was.

"I'll be fine," she sighed. "You look after the children, please…"

"Of course," he nodded. "Although if you are not back in half an hour, I'm coming looking for you…"

She smiled at his care, turning and heading back out in to the deluge. Where was that cat?

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Da-da-dum…

Reviews will make the reunion quicker!


	24. Daffodil's Delight

Chapter 24 – Daffodil's Delight

Chapter 24 – Daffodil's Delight

Jacob laughed at the sight of his brother trying to fend off the small, elderly grey cat. "Daffodil!" Jack cursed.

"Daffodil?" The cat's name set him into further spasms of laughter.

"Best damned pirate mouser I ever had!" Jack defended, rubbing the animal behind her ears. "And at least this means that either Bessie or the children or somebody is here," he reasoned. "She'd go nowhere without the cat!" He picked Daffodil up, wondering briefly what had happened to her tail. "Where are they, girl," he asked, smiling as the cat purred with pleasure at his ministrations. "Can you take me to them?"

Jacob looked at his brother in surprise. The great feared pirate captain talking to a cat. He glanced skywards, groaning as it started to rain harder. Already he was beginning to realise what rain could be like in these climes and he was loath to get another soaking. Hopefully it was just a sudden shower. Jack made room for his brother in the shadowy alcove where he had been standing, grateful that it afforded some protection as the rain started to come down even heavier, turning the dirt road to a muddy river.

"Daffodil!" a woman's voice cried from nearby. "Daffodil… come here girl!"

Jack looked at his brother in panic. He had not wanted Bessie to see him like this, at night, fearful that the rain would clear and the moon would reveal him for cursed. He also had wanted to know her situation before he intruded, worried that she might have remarried or taken a lover to comfort her. Although overjoyed to know she was alive, he needed to know more before he could approach her. He handed Daffodil to Jacob. "Give th' cat to Bessie," he hissed, shrinking back into the shadows.

"Jack?" Jacob puzzled, not understanding his brother's reluctance to emerge to meet his wife, struggling to hold the wriggling cat who wanted to return to Jack.

"Just do it!" he whispered, watching with his heart in his mouth as she approached.

"Daffodil!" she called again, jumping as Jacob stepped towards her from the shadows.

"Are you looking for a cat, Mistress?" he asked, holding the wriggling Daffodil up.

"Daffodil!" she cried, walking towards him. "Thank you…" She frowned, staring at him for a moment. "Excuse me Sir, but do I know you? You look familiar…"

"I am new to these parts," he evaded, wondering for a panicked moment if she would recognise his resemblance to Jack. "Ow!" He dropped Daffodil as the cat scratched him, scurrying back towards the alcove in her determination to be with Jack.

"Daffodil!" Bessie cried, trying to hurry after the cat.

Jack's eyes widened as he realised she was heading straight for him and that he had nowhere to hide. Already the cat twined herself around his ankles, purring, demanding to be picked up. He watched as Bessie reached the shadows, belatedly realising that a man stood there.

"Excuse me, Sir," she apologised. "My cat seems to have taken a shine to you…" She bent down awkwardly to pick up the cat, catching his eye as he held out his hand to help her as she struggled to rise. "Thank y… J…"

It took all of Jack's reflexes to catch her as her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped against him in a dead faint.

"Jack?" Jacob frowned, blinking through the rain.

"She bloody fainted!" he cursed, easing her down gently to the ground, trying to keep her dry in the alcove He rested his hand momentarily on her stomach, realising that she could not have long to go and judging, by the size of her, that she was likely carrying twins again. He wondered if they were common in her family, for he knew of none in his other than his own children.

"What are we goin' to do?" Jacob worried, glancing about for fear that somebody would think they were abducting her.

"We are goin' to have to wait," Jack sighed, brushing the hair from her face and kissing her gently. "Bessie… Bessie… wake up will yer?" He stroked her cheek, relieved to see her eyes slowly flicker open. Her hand reached up to his face.

"It is you?" she gasped, her face pale. "How…"

"What of you an' the children?" he pressed, determined to find out as quickly as he could if they were safe. "I heard of the Jolly Maid sinking…"

"We are fine… all of us," she assured him. "But you… how… Henry saw you die!" She started to cry, wrapping her arms about him.

"Howabouts we head home an' I'll tell yer all about it?" he tempted. "Don't want yer out in this weather in yer condition…"

"I… I…" she stuttered.

"I know," he smiled, helping her to her feet and standing before her, his hands on her stomach. "It is kind of obvious…"

"It looks to be clearing," Jacob cautioned. He knew, like the rest of the crew that Jack was somehow cursed, but was not sure that he wanted to see his brother turn skeletal. Joshamee had described it to him, and that had been enough.

"We'd best move sharpish," Jack agreed, glancing skywards. He reached down, scooping a still purring Daffodil up and settling the elderly cat beneath his coat.

"What's the matter?" Bessie asked, catching the worry in his tone.

"Jack…" Jacob cautioned. The rain had eased as quickly as it had started and already the sky was clearing. The one time he wanted the rain to continue was the one time it was not going to.

"Is it much further, luv?" he worried, hugging the shadows as the moon emerged from behind the rain clouds.

"Just across the street," she smiled, slipping her hand into his. "Come on… the children won't believe it either…" Jack stopped dead, realising that to get where she was indicating would mean crossing a wide swathe lit by a sudden beam of moonlight. "Jack?"

"Um… I have a slight problem, Bessie," he evaded.

She looked at him, not understanding. "Jack? What is the matter?"

Jack realised he could not avoid telling her. He put Daffodil down and took her hands in his, pulling her deeper into the shadows. "Bessie, do you remember the tales I would tell th' children? About Barbossa an' th' cursed coins an' all that?" He smiled as she nodded. "Th' reason I'm standin' here before yer is that I'm not dead…"

"I can see that!" she interrupted.

"But I'm not exactly alive either…" She frowned at him, clearly lost by is words. "Th' only reason I'm alive… or half-alive is that I took one of th' cursed coins. I thought it would be funny t' scare Jack an' t' show th' rest of th' children one of th' coins."

"B… but…" she stuttered.

"If I cross that moonlight then I'll be revealed t' yer as I truly am… half-dead..." he explained.

"That is better to me than fully dead," she smiled, stepping back into the light. She looked down at him, shocked to his hands turn skeletal in hers. "I would see the truth Jack… please…"

Jack glanced side to side ensuring that there was nobody else about before slowly walking into the moonlight. Bessie trembled, but held his gaze as more and more of him turned skeletal.

"Bloody hell!" Jacob cursed, never having seen the transformation before and thinking he never wanted to again either.

Bessie swallowed audibly, but put her hand to his face, leaning up to kiss what remained of his lips. "You are my husband," she insisted. "And that is all that matters to me…"

Jack smiled at her, knowing that his appearance frightened her but that, somehow, it did not matter. They were together again and, eventually, they would figure a way out of this mess.

"I'd best get out of th' light," he cautioned, hurrying across to the other side of the street, again hugging the shadows, his normal form returning as Bessie reached to open the door. Jacob hurried across the street, both of the men pausing as a man's voice called out from within the cottage.

"Bessie? Did you find the cat?" Mark asked.

"And more," she said, entwining her fingers with Jack's as she walked through the door.

"Papa!" Pearl cried, bursting into tears and throwing herself at her father. The other children woke on hearing the noise and soon Jack could hardly be seen as most of the children hugged him. Daffodil, skirting his feet, risking life and limb with her own greeting.

Eventually Jack managed to come up for air, only to be kissed again by Bessie. He frowned, spotting Mark Taunton standing awkwardly on the far side of the room. "Who are yer?" he demanded.

"Mark is just a friend," Bessie assured him. "He stays here when his ship is in Hamilton… helps me pay the rent…"

Jack looked at her in surprise, for the first time taking in the scant comfort in the cottage. He could see she was tired too, dark bags beneath her eyes revealed too many nights without sleep, too much worry. "I left yer money…" he puzzled.

"I had barely an hour or so to flee Tortuga," she explained. "And most of what I was able to take was lost when the Jolly Maid went down…"

"How have yer…" he began, slowly understanding the hovel she was living in.

"With hard work," Mark interrupted. "Hard work, long hours and a little help from those of us from the Jolly Maid that have become friends…"

"Is that all?" Jack scowled, glancing towards Bessie who was trying to herd the children back to their beds, ensuring his voice did not carry.

"Of course that is bloody all," Mark retorted. "How could I compete with th' infamous Jack Sparrow, especially when you refuse to remain dead!"

For a moment the two men glared at each other, each refusing to give ground until they heard Bessie return to the main room having finally gotten the last child, predictably Jack, to bed. "Well I see the two of you have become acquainted," she said wryly, having guessed their conversation. "But you have yet to introduce me to your companion, Jack…"

Jack turned to Jacob. "Bessie, this is m' brother Jacob," he explained. "M' real brother. I went t' London t' find yer with th' men, and then back-tracked t' here when I heard about th' Jolly Maid…"

"Your brother?" she gasped, realising why the man had seemed familiar to her.

"D' yer think yer can find yer way back in th' dark to the ship?" he asked Jacob. "Th' crew will want t' know that Bessie an' th' children are safe an' I'm not leavin' her…" He smiled at her, reaching out and pulling her gently towards him. "I'm never leavin' her!"

"I think I can," Jacob replied. "Although I'll have to wave to get somebody to row me back…"

"They'll be keepin' watch," Jack assured him. "Tell Gibbs we'll be out at first light…"

Jacob nodded before turning to Bessie. "It's been a pleasure t' meet you at last," he smiled, before slipping out of the door. Although Jack had been close-lipped about his wife and children, the crew had been more forthcoming and he knew they would be nearly as relieved as Jack to find all of the family safe and sound, including the cat.


	25. At The Cottage

Usual disclaimers… boo hoo!

A few quick mentions…

Omala – I'm surprised you thought the last chapter rushed… it was actually twice as long as my normal chapters and had been written weeks earlier, so your nagging won't have had any effect.

Bules – the showdown was not meant to be a violent or explosive showdown between Mark and Jack. Bessie had already refused his offer plus he was not stupid enough to go up against Jack. Mark is genuinely fond of her and the children, but to fight would have meant he had lost, even if he had won… so to speak.

Bluegreenskye – you're clearly not my child! He is 7½ and I take no sass. However, being sent to bed does not mean they went to sleep!

Redmond – yes, I know there are unresolved issues… that is why the story isn't yet finished!

Druidan54 – no, I'm not cursing the cat. Poor creature has it tough enough living with the children!

And a thank you for all the others that reviewed, especially the new reviewers since my last update.

Pen – I will try to get the Kitty block edit back to you this weekend. Hugs!

Right, this is a day early as tomorrow – the 16th – is both mine and Kitty's birthday!

**Chapter 25 – At the Cottage**

Jack woke to find that most of the children had crept into the small bed with him and Bessie and were snuggled up against the two of them as best they could. He stretched cautiously, hardly able to move for fear of dislodging a child. "We should get up," he said quietly, reasoning dawn could not be far off. Slowly, the children woke and he urged them to get dressed and pack their belongings. Bessie quickly dressed too, placing a large blanket on the floor for the children to place their clothes in for she had no trunk.

"I should cook breakfast," Bessie said after quickly feeding Emily, still unable to stop smiling. She kept reaching out and touching Jack, as if reassuring herself that he was truly there.

"I'll help," Pearl offered and soon Jack could hear the sounds and smell of cooking coming from the other room.

When he emerged from the small, crowded bedroom, Emily in his arms, Bessie was about to serve breakfast. Pearl placed the battered wooden bowls on the table and Jack frowned on seeing Mark sitting at ease at the table as Bessie began to ladle the oats out.

"Are you coming with us, Uncle Mark?" Pearl asked.

"I don't know if I would be welcome…" he evaded, glancing at Jack. He knew that the pirate was aware he cared for Bessie, and was unsure if it would be a good idea.

"Please, Uncle Mark!" Henrietta begged. "Oh, do say he can come, Papa?" She turned to look at Jack, her eyes pleading.

"I can see yer had more success with th' younger women in m' life," Jack said dryly.

"I don't think Mark would want to," Bessie cautioned. "After all, it would mean him turning pirate…"

"Perhaps I should," he smiled. "Else I've a feeling I'll not see you all again…" He turned to Jack. "Would I be welcomed?"

"As long as yer recognise what is mine," Jack said cautiously, not wanting to speak more plainly before the children.

"I'm no poacher," Mark replied, catching the gist of Jack's words.

"Well then, yer'd be welcome," Jack conceded. "We need all th' hands we can get at th' moment…" He tousled Jack's hair. "Maybe get you an' yer brother up th' rigging too!"

"Jack!" Bessie protested. He's too young!"

"No he's not," Jack countered. "Many a cabin boy has learned, and he's old enough fer that!" He looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If I thought yer'd wear breeches, I'd teach yer too!"

"Not likely!" she laughed, knowing his teasing for what it was, and acknowledging to herself how much she had missed it. She sat down with Frances, sharing her breakfast with the child. "When do you want us to leave?"

Jack shifted the wriggling Emily in his arms. "I'd like t' leave as soon as possible. We can take as much as we can carry but with…" He patted the compass which now was tied to his belt as normal. "We can get whatever we need t' buy elsewhere, when I get yer safe." He looked up, for the first time noticing the macaw looking at him from the beams. "Bloody hell!" he cursed. "The soddin' bird made it!"

"Wind in yer sails! Wind in yer sails!" it screeched down at him, flying down to Jack's shoulder as the boy tempted it with a piece of fruit.

"I was hopin' somebody had shot it," he sighed, realising the bird would be aiming for him every time it fouled the decks. "You clean up after it, or we eat it!" he warned his son.

"Yes, Papa," Jack said, wide-eyed, wondering if indeed Jack would cook the bird.

"Jack, stop teasing!" Bessie chided.

"I wasn't," he said, looking sourly at the bird. If it had not been for Ned Cotton's being the best ship's doctor he had ever had, he would have wrung the creature's neck years ago.

Bessie let Frances down to the floor and started to pick up the bowls, heading across to the small kitchen area. "Let me wash these up and I'll be re…" she began.

"Leave 'em, woman!" Jack laughed. "Yer aren't comin' back an' from th' look of it, havin' t' do some work will do yer landlord good!" He hand not missed the buckets and various containers set to catch the water dripping from the roof throughout the cottage when he arrived the night before.

Mark chuckled. "Aye. If you aren't taking them with you, then leave it all," he agreed. "The bast… Hatten'll probably only sell what you leave, so why make things easy for him?"

Bessie blinked, considering their words. It had been second-nature to her to tidy up and keep the place clean that the idea of leaving it dirty had never entered her mind. She started to laugh, imagining Peter Hatten's face when he realised he would be gaining neither rent nor favours from her. "Yes," she agreed. "Let's leave it and go now." She turned to the children. "Go through your things. Anything not in the blanket in five minutes gets left behind!"

The older children scrambled from the table, dashing for their small beds and hammocks for whatever belongings they had whilst she gathered things belonging to Frances and Emily. Jack sighed when he saw the small pile in the middle of the blanket, reasoning it was not much compared to what they must have had to leave behind before.

"I'll have to get a few things from m' ship," Mark said. "I could get one of the men to let th' tavern know you won't be coming back either, else they'll likely organise a search for you…"

Jack nodded. It would not cause much delay, and he did not want people fearing Bessie had been abducted and searching for them all. "We have t' walk along th' docks anyway," he reasoned, handing Emily to Bessie before picking up the corners of the blanket and tying it into a bundle. "Let's go!"

Bessie did not look back as they all walked from the cottage in the dim morning light - she would not miss the place.


	26. Reunions At The Cove

Usual disclaimers… boo hoo!

**Chapter 26 – Reunions at the Cove**

It took a while longer to reach the cove with the children than it had for Jack and Jacob to walk from it the day before, but in a short time Jack led his family and Mark across the sand, grinning at the crew waiting for them with both of the ship's boats. Henry broke out into a broad grin and dashed up the beach to embrace the family, closely followed by Lucas, Gethin and Paul.

"Blimey, Bessie! You're fat!" Henry laughed, taking Emily from her and passing the child to Lucas before hugging her carefully.

"I've still a few weeks to go," Bessie assured him.

"Twins?" Henry gasped, standing back and staring at her.

"More than likely," Bessie smiled, turning to be hugged by the other pirates.

"Who's this?" Gethin asked, turning to look at Mark.

"Mark," she explained. "He is a friend and is joining us…"

For a moment, Gethin stared at the other man, before glancing to Jack who nodded. He shrugged. "Well, let's get you all on board…" He reached down, picking up Henrietta. "You first, Hetty!" he grinned, picking her up and putting her into the bobbing boat. She spotted Jem on board the ship and jumped up, waving enthusiastically.

"Sit!" Bessie shouted, fearful that the would fall in as the boat bobbed alarmingly. "We'll be there soon enough."

She accepted Jack's hand as he helped her into the other boat, Lucas handing her Emily. She could hear Joshamee shouting to Jem and Jacob to rig a bosun's chair for her. There was no way she would be climbing on board in her condition.

Jack smiled, noting her pale and grip the sides of the boat as they rowed towards Bessie's Revenge. "Yer know, one day yer are goin' t' have t' learn to swim…" he reminded her.

"I don't know," she replied, looking fearfully at the water, remembering all too clearly when Mark had thrown her from the sinking Jolly Maid.

"Yer've put it off long enough," Jack retorted, standing to reach for the bosun's chair as the boat bumped against the hull of the ship. "Once th' babies are born, yer are learning… an' th' matter isn't open fer discussion!"

"But…" she protested.

"But nothin'," he countered, helping her into the chair. "I nearly lost yer all when th' Jolly Maid went down…" he reminded her. "An' if yer are t' live on board…"

"On board?" she spluttered, looking down at him in surprise as the chair inched towards the deck.

"Aye," he said, as her feet disappeared from view. Soon her face peered back down at him as he helped Pearl climb up. "I'm not lettin' yer out of m' sight ever again!" Once all of the children were on board, he climbed up too, taking Bessie's hands in his as he stood before her. "I'm not lettin' th' likes of Corbin ever get their hands on yer!"

"But how…" she began.

Jack slipped a hand from hers, putting two fingers to her lips. "Ssshh," he said, smiling softly at her. "I have a plan…"

"You have a…" She raised an eyebrow as she looked at him, fearful of yet another of his hare-brained plots.

"Bessie!" Joshamee interrupted, striding across the deck towards her and embracing her warmly before turning to Jack. "We've rigged th' master cabin with a number of hammocks," he said, "and a surprise…" He could not keep the grin from his face.

"A surprise?" Jack frowned, wondering what his quartermaster had been up to.

"Well," Joshamee said, taking Bessie's hand and leading her towards the master cabin. "When we heard you were all safe, and were going to be coming back t' us…" He opened the door, the smell of fresh-cut timber wafting towards them. He looked to Jack. "We.. um… made a few small improvements…"

Jack walked in to the cabin, cautiously looking around, before bursting into laughter. "A few small ones?" he smiled. "More like one big one!"

Bessie looked around her with surprise, never having been on board before. The cabin was surprisingly spacious – or would have been but for the number of hammocks that had clearly been readied for the children. She turned to see what Jack was laughing at, finally realising where the smell of wood had come from. Clearly the old bunk had been extended and now closely resembled a double bed in size.

"We figured Bessie would need th' extra space," he reasoned, grinning to Lucas who crowded with the others in the doorway, Mark standing to one side, unsure how to react to the clear delight of the pirates at seeing Bessie and the children again.

"I get a hammock!" Tabitha crowed, counting that there were five hanging on the port side of the cabin, opposite the bunk.

"I'll get t' work on a small bunk for Fanny an' Milly," Lucas offered, brushing the sawdust from his clothes. Clearly he had only just finished on the bunk and had worked throughout the night.

"Lucas, it's wonderful!" Bessie smiled, turning to hug him. "But you look like you need sleep! The little ones can sleep with me for a night or so…"

"Are yer sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure," she said, hugging him again for good measure. "Now get to your hammock before Jack finds some work for you…"

"Who's Captain 'ere?" Jack growled good-naturedly. Lucas paused by the door. "Get t' yer hammock!" Jack ordered. "Yer can work on th' rest of it when yer've slept." Lucas sped from the cabin, whilst the others waited for their orders.

"Where to, Captain?" Joshamee asked.

"Th' Isla de Muerta," Jack replied, patting the compass at his hip. "Mark here used t' be helm on th' Jolly Maid an' has been working th' rigging on various ships fer th' last six months… use 'im where yer will."

"Captain," he nodded, indicating for Mark, Jacob and the rest of the crew to leave Jack and his family alone, ensuring the cabin doors were firmly shut behind him.


	27. The Isla de Meurta

Usual disclaimers… bother!

Pen – will get the edit back to you as soon as I can. Between it being my birthday, school half-term and being poorly, I've not had time to concentrate.

Here's a second chapter to keep you sweet… well, sweeter than you already are! ;)

**Chapter 27 – The Isla de Muerta**

"You want us to what?" Joshamee exploded, looking at Jack in disbelief as he and the rest of the men crowded around the chest containing the cursed coins. He had thought his captain intended to return the coin and reverse the curse, but he had been wrong. "Are you bloody mad?"

"Gibbs! Gibbs!" Jack held up his hands placatingly, glad that he had insisted Bessie and the children remain on board the ship for he had known that his plan would not pass without argument. "We have t' use whatever we can… there are what… nine of us? Against two ships?"

"Ten!" Jacob argued.

"Yer'll have t' improve yer swordwork if it's t' be ten," Jack cautioned. "Yer've never killed b'fore… are yer sure?"

"I'm sure," Jacob assured him.

"All right then… ten of us against two ships…" Jack reasoned.

"You're worse than mad!" Joshamee raged, still in shock at what Jack had asked of them. "You're insane! After Barbossa I thought…"

"Enough!" Jack barked. "Yer are clearly distraught, Gibbs," he said, his voice dropping. "I'll overlook yer words this time, but not again…"

"You are asking us t' curse ourselves too?" Henry queried, praying that he had misunderstood Jack.

"How else can we get th' Pearl back?" Jack reasoned, perching on the edge of the chest. "An' I don't think Bessie'd take too kindly t' any of yer getting killed…"

"That's a low blow, Captain," Jem sighed, reluctantly seeing the reasoning behind Jack's plan.

"Pirate!" he shrugged, grinning. "But I can see no other way that we can get back th' Pearl without all of us bein' killed an' Corbin getting all he wants…"

"You know we won't let that bastard get his hands on Bessie," Henry argued.

"Pretty hard t' stop him if yer are dead…" Jack replied.

"What do these coins do?" Mark said, gradually overcoming his awe at the treasure within the cave to stare at the coins within the chest. Jacob shuddered, knowing all too well what the curse did.

"Th' curse is that yer cannot die," Jack explained, "or that it's as close t' that as makes no difference… yer cannot be shot, yer cannot drown…"

"And the downside?" Mark frowned, wondering why the other pirates seemed so reluctant to take a coin.

"Th' downside is that in moonlight th' curse turns yer body t' a skeleton an' that it cannot be reversed until every coin is replaced an' th' blood price paid…" Jack continued.

"The blood price?" Mark wavered, suddenly understanding the pirates' unease.

"Just a prick… a drop of blood from yer body…" Jack said, waving his hands and dismissing Mark's worries.

"Ah, t' hell with it!" Henry reached around Joshamee, taking a coin from the chest. "I want th' Pearl back an' I want that bastard dead… an' if this is the only way to do it, so be it!"

At Henry's acceptance, the other men each took a coin until only Joshamee Gibbs stood, unmoving, staring at the coins. "I don't like this, Jack!" he growled.

"As soon as we've got th' Pearl back, we'll make this our first port of call," Jack tempted. "It won't be fer long…"

Joshamee glared at him. "I'm only doin' this fer Bessie!" he snapped, snatching a coin before stomping back towards the waiting boats, muttering to himself under his breath.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief for now there was more of a chance of his plan working. He let the others return to the boats ahead of him, pausing to take a small, stout trunk laden with coins and a small, dainty pearl necklace. Bessie had not mentioned her missing necklace, but he had realised what she must have had to have done. When all this was over, he resolved to spoil her much, much more than he had in the past.

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"Can we see it, Papa?" Henrietta asked eagerly, grinning as Jack placed the gold and pearl cross onto the pearl necklace, fastening it around Bessie's neck. "Can we see th' treasure… please?"

"I don't know…" Bessie interrupted.

"Why not," Jack grinned, smiling at Bessie's startled expression. "It won't delay us much an' perhaps it will show th' children what we're fightin' fer…."

"But…" Bessie flustered, clearly unsure if it was a good idea.

"An' yer can come too," he assured her, kissing her warmly. "An' pick whatever treasure catches yer eye…"

"I…" she began, but Henrietta whooped and ran off, shouting at the top of her voice to the other children that they were going ashore.

"Everythin' will be fine…" Jack said assuringly. "Trust me!"

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Despite his assurances, Jack made sure that the lid of the stone chest was firmly in place as he led a stunned Bessie around the caves, Henry and Gethin trying in vain to keep an eye on the older children as they ran around, laughing with delight and throwing handfuls of gold coins at each other. Jem had stayed with Frances and Emily as it was reasoned that they were too young and would not realise what they were seeing – but the older children clearly did. Although they had never wanted for anything whilst living in Tortuga, their time in Hamilton had clearly brought home the importance of money to them.

"All of this is yours?" Bessie gasped, looking around her in amazement.

"Well, mine an' th' mens," Jack explained. "So I reckon about a fifth of this belongs t' us…" Bessie had thought that her father's treasure had been a fortune, but clearly Jack had been far more successful than she had ever realised. "A silk dress fer every day of th' week…" Jack tempted, remembering a time before Pearl had been born. "Or do yer still have simple tastes?"

"Perhaps I should acquire some expensive ones," she teased.

"Yer should have a maid," Jack offered. "Someone t' help with th' children… especially when…" His eyes fell to her large bump.

"I have Jem," she assured him. "He's far more competent with a new born than most I know – women included!"

"But don't yer want th' company of another woman?" he frowned, reaching to fasten a pair of earrings that had caught his eye to her earlobes.

"I doubt you'd find anyone willing, if I am to live on board as you say…" she sighed. "Are you sure it will be safe? For the children…"

"Trust me," he smiled, wrapping his arms about her. "I told yer I have a plan…"

"And that plan is?" Bessie prompted, wondering what he was thinking.

"A secret," he grinned, kissing her before releasing her from his embrace. "But we'd best be goin'. We need t' get supplies in before headin' t' Tortuga…"

"Tortuga!" Bessie gasped in horror. "But Corbin…"

"How else can we get th' Pearl back, luv?" Jack laughed.

"Oh," Bessie said quietly, colouring slightly.

"You'll be safe…" he assured her, caressing her cheek. "I'll never put yer or th' children in danger…"

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Double chapter means double reviews… savvy?


	28. An Unexpected Delivery

Usual disclaimers… oh, if I could have him though!

Just the one chapter today… I don't think Jack could cope with two!

**Chapter 28 – An Unexpected Delivery**

Bessie's Revenge sailed swiftly northwards, back towards Tortuga. Jack was looking to take supplies on quietly at Tortola before heading westwards to Tortuga. It was nearly noon and Bessie and Jem were working together in the galley, preparing what food they had for their dinner. Suddenly Jack looked up sharply from the wheel as Jem scrambled up the stairs from the galley below.

"Jack!" he shouted, nearly falling over in his haste, but still hurrying. "Jack! Bessie needs you!"

"What?" Jack gasped, flying down the stairs to the main deck, shouting to Mark who was nearby to take over the helm.

"It's started!" Jem gasped. "Her waters have broken…"

"Eh?" Jack frowned, still hurrying the older pirate back toward the galley.

"The babies!" he shouted. "Bessie's in labour!"

"Oh my…." Jack paled, realising belatedly what Jem had been saying. "Now?"

"Yes, now!" Jem shouted, nearly pushing Jack down the stairs in his haste. Jack turned the corner at the bottom, skidding to a halt as he came face to face with his wife.

"Jem said…" he began, reaching out for her.

"I'm in labour, not an invalid," she said softly, wincing as a contraction hit. "Now help me up to the bunk. Jem, I'll need hot water and the cleanest towels we have…"

"Towels?" he blinked.

"Rags, cloths, shirts off your bloody backs!" Bessie barked, leaning against the bulkhead. "I don't' care as long as they're clean!"

"I'll see what I can…" Jack began, but her hand on his arm prevented him from moving.

"Jem can see what there is," she said, taking a number of deep breaths. "I need you to help me…"

"Help you?" Jack gasped.

"Well unless you've a midwife hidden somewhere on board," Bessie remarked sarcastically.

"You want me… to…" He pointed to her stomach, his eyes wide in horrified shock.

"For crying out loud, just bloody help me!" she shouted at him.

Jack let her pass, helping her up the steep stairs and along the main deck to the master cabin. A number of the children were playing inside. "Out," Jack urged, scooping up Emily and handing her to Pearl as she rose. "Go an' find Jem an' don't come back until I call…"

Pearl took one look at her mother and realised what had happened. "I'll ask Joshamee if we can sleep with the crew tonight," she said, hurrying Tabitha and Frances from the cabin. She had seen her mother in labour many times, and knew that it could possibly be many hours before the babies were born.

Jack shut the door behind his children. "What do yer want me t' do?" he asked, turning to Bessie.

"Help me onto th' bunk," she pleaded, knowing she would never make it without his help. Indeed, she only just made it with his help, and collapsed gratefully onto the mattress.

"Are yer all right now?" Jack asked, reaching for the blanket to cover her. He blinked when she pushed the blanket away.

"I need you t' undress me," Bessie said, inhaling sharply. "M' dress an' m' undergarments… now!"

"I… I…" he stuttered.

"You do know how t' undress a woman?" she teased, trying to smile.

"Of course!" he replied indignantly, reaching for her laces.

"Well that's good," she said dryly, moving as best she could to assist him. "When Jem comes, tell him I need drinking water too…" She turned away, arching with pain as yet another contraction hit, hissing and trying to keep her breathing steady to help her through it.

"Are you all right?" Jack asked worriedly, leaning across her.

"No, I'm in bloody labour!" she cursed.

"But…" he began.

"It isn't a bloody picnic!" she retorted, a sheen of sweat covering her body. "For Christ's sake, get m' undergarments off…"

Jack started to do as she asked, stunned to hear her swearing at him. He paused, hearing the cabin doors open. "I thought I told you to…" he began to shout, only pausing when he realised it was Jem, backing in so not to intrude.

"I'll leave th' cloths here," he said, placing them on the deck without turning. "I'll just bring th' hot water…"

"Bessie needs water t' drink..." Jack ordered.

"I'll bring that too," Jem assured him, hurrying out of the cabin and shutting the doors without turning to face Jack, returning a moment later with the hot water and then a large tankard of drinking water. "Shout if yer need anythin' else," he said, dashing out as quickly as he could.

Jack barred the cabin doors and picked up the tankard, taking it across to Bessie. He had never seen a woman in labour before and was surprised to realise that she was in agony. "What do yer need me t' do?" he said quietly.

"Get m' clothes off an' keep me as fresh as you can," Bessie replied, wincing with pain. "When th' babes come, yer'll need t' tie the cords an' then cut them…"

"Cut the what?" he puzzled.

"Th' cords," she gasped, finding all the talk tiring. She decided to try to explain it in ship-talk, hoping he would understand. "Th' babes grow inside me attached with a line. That's what yer belly button is… th' end of the line. You need to tie it before you cut it for it'll bleed…"

"It won't hurt them?" Jack worried.

"Jack," she sighed. "Just do what I tell you, when I tell you and for once, don't ask any questions… savvy?"

"Savvy," he smiled ruefully.

"Now pass me a drink…"

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Day passed to stormy night, and still Bessie struggled to give birth to the babies. The crew kept the other children from the cabin, amusing them as best they could and rigging hammocks below for them when it came time for them to go to sleep. Every man jumped when they heard Bessie cried out, looking at each other worriedly. None but Jem had any experience with women in labour, but as he seemed unflustered, they assumed all must be well.

It was not until nearly midnight when they heard the first wail, followed roughly half an hour later by a second. They looked up eagerly as the doors opened and Jack staggered out, hand shaking as he drank from an open bottle of rum, his face pale in the dark shade. He shut the doors behind him before sitting heavily on the stairs to the quarterdeck in a daze.

"Well?" Jem pressed, turning skeletal as he walked towards his captain. "I take it was twins?"

"Girl… an' a… a boy…" Jack stuttered, taking another long drink from the bottle.

"And Bessie?" Henry asked.

"She's fine…" Jack replied, still clearly dazed. He had never realised that childbirth could be so painful for a woman and had, momentarily, considered never asking it of her again. But it had been momentarily, for he knew that as soon as she felt up to it, he would be unable to keep his hands off her. And from the look in her eyes as he handed their new children to her, he had realised the feeling was mutual. He looked up at them, his eyes finally finding his brother. "Guess yer an' uncle again," he grinned.

"Can we see her?" Joshamee asked.

Jack struggled to his feet. "Let m' see if she's up t' it," he slurred, wishing he was not cursed and could taste the rum he was drinking. He needed to get drunk – and could not. Hand still shaking, he opened the doors, leaving them ajar. The crew crowded close, their skeletal forms becoming flesh again as they crowded around the cabin doors.

"They want t' see yer," Jack said, leaning against the bulkhead as he looked at Bessie. "D' yer think yer are up t' it?"

"They'll not go away until they have," she smiled tiredly, wrapping the blanket as best she could around her naked body. "Give me a hand…" Jack fussed about her, ensuring she was decently covered and then turned back to the doors.

"All right, yer can come in," he said, smiling as eight men tried to pile through the doors at once. They stood by the bunk, looking at the tiny children in surprise.

"Have you named them?" Jacob asked, turning to Jack.

"Aye," his brother grinned. "Rosetta an' Edward…"

"Two more Sparrows t' give th' Navy a headache," Paul grinned. "I'll take th' helm an' let Mark come down…" He nodded to Bessie. "Congratulations," he smiled, before heading out of the cabin to replace Mark who dashed down the stairs as fast as he dared, a broad grin on his face as he saw her with the babies.

"You guessed right," he beamed. "Twins!" He could see that she looked very tired. "Are you all right?"

"I just need to sleep…" Bessie replied, hoping the men would take the hint. For a while though, they just stood there, still enthralled with the babies.

Eventually Jack stepped in. "Go on, get out, th' lot of yer! Bessie needs t' rest! Yer'll see enough of th' babes an' her soon enough… shoo!" He chased them from the cabin before turning back to Bessie and taking the two babies from her, he placed them in the small bunk that Emily and Frances usually slept in. "Yer need t' rest," he said quietly, slipping off his shirt and sliding into the bunk next to her. He wrapped his arms about her, holding her as tightly as he dared. "Thank yer Bessie," he grinned, kissing her tenderly and smiling as she lay her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair away from her face, realising that she was already asleep.

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Reviews?

Oh, and before anybody comments, I have taken Barbossa's comments about food turning to "ash" in their mouths as it having no flavour, no joy, not ash in the literal sense. Therefore, although Jack and the cursed men will eat and drink, there is little appreciation of what they are doing. I would think it would be a slight loss at first, like when you have a bad cold, getting worse as time continues – therefore Jack is affected worst of all. Afterall, if Barbossa had taken a bite into an apple immediately after taking the coins, he would have realised about the curse being true and insisted on all the coins being replaced in the chest before they had left the Isla de Muerta.

And as far as the moonlight part of the curse goes… it isn't every night the moon is bright, nor do pirates wander around looking for a shaft of moonlight to stand in – skulking in shadows is more their line. According to the movie, Barbossa and his men had time to fritter the coins away before they realised about the curse… so it must have been cloudy or something – perhaps the hurricane season?

Well, that is my reasoning anyway… if you have another that is up to you! ;)


	29. Tortuga

Usual disclaimers… drat!

I have had two comments about Jack's lack of knowledge regarding childbirth and feel that I have no choice than to explain to those that do not seem to understand, perhaps because of lack of age or research. Things in those days were not the same as nowadays, although having discovered that they believed whipping male servants outside a delivery room speeded up the birthing process sounds a great idea to me – does it work with husbands?

Firstly, in answer to the comment about Jack being born in a brothel / growing up on the streets – in the movie (if you read the book/script) it mentions he was apprenticed to a cartographer and it hints that this is where he found out about the Isla de Muerta. This would be a highly respectable job and to qualify to be apprenticed would mean that Jack himself would have had to have been educated. Therefore, he did not grow up on the streets, nor was he born in a brothel. Whatever or wherever he came from, it was somewhere middle-class or higher.

Secondly, this time answering the comments about Jack's lack of knowledge of birthing. I researched this before writing and, in those days, men simply did not attend women in labour. There is a story of one Doctor, Dr. Wertt of Hamburg, in 1522, who had the idea to dress up in women's clothes to gain entry to a labour room. He was discovered and was burned at the stake for his effort!

We are lucky in that we now have free choice as to who we have in our delivery rooms. It should also be considered that, according to an American website, all males were banned from delivery rooms until the mid-1900's! My own father was working when I was born and that was only 38 years ago… in those days the thought of a man, even a husband, being there was still unthinkable. My grandmother, who grew up on a farm amongst all the animal-husbandry, even was raised thinking you could get pregnant by kissing!

It was even worse in the 18th century when it was unheard of for men (even if they were a doctor!) to be present during the birth of a baby unless there were serious complications, and then he would work "blind" with the woman most likely covered by a sheet. You would also have to be rich to afford a doctor and most women simply had to suffer or die - or both.

Therefore, the likelihood of Jack ever having seen a birthing woman, even his own wife, is highly unlikely even if he had been in Tortuga on the actual day. Plus childbirth was a dangerous thing in those days – his wife was in labour, on a ship, with no skilled help available… I think he is entitled to panic a little. If my own troubled labour had been in my grandmother's days, I'd be dead and so would my son… it's a sobering thought.

Pen has assured me that my research and writing in this are historically correct. Don't tell anyone, but I think she remembers! ;)

Anyway, enough of my rant, on with the story…

**Chapter 29 – Tortuga**

Jack sat quietly in the ship's boat with half of the crew, Jacob at his side. The second boat sat nearby, close enough that they could talk quietly to each other without fear of their voices carrying in the darkening gloom. "Th' Crow's not there," he frowned, disappointed that he would not be able to destroy Bryn Corbin's old ship whilst regaining the Black Pearl.

"What d' yer want us to do?" Joshamee said softly, looking at Jack for some sign of his plan as he had not yet revealed it to them.

"We leave th' boats back at th' cove with Bessie," he replied, his head turning automatically to the small sheltered bay in which they had hidden Bessie's Revenge. "Then we creep back here an' walk out to th' ships…"

"Walk?" Jacob queried, a frown creasing his brow. "Don't you mean swim?"

"Nah, walk!" Jack said, his golden teeth glinting in the dim light. The idea had come to him from when he had seen Barbossa order his crew out to the HMS Dauntless. He shuddered, recalling the day. Despite his hatred of the man, he was not averse to borrowing his ploy. "We can't drown," he assured his brother. "We can walk along th' seabed an' climb up th' anchor chains…"

"We'd best get back t' Bessie then," Joshamee nodded in understanding, his expression grim, eager to gain his revenge on the Welshman and to regain the Black Pearl.

The two boats quietly rowed back to the hidden ship and the men raised them up, securing them safely on board. "Get th' flag," Jack ordered Henry, turning to greet Bessie who emerged from the brightness of the master cabin. He intended to have the Black Pearl flying under her proper colours as soon as possible and the only flag they had was the one currently flying over Bessie's Revenge.

"Are you going soon?" she asked, pausing to shut the doors behind her so that the children would not see their father and the men in their cursed form if the cloudy skies parted.

"Aye," he confirmed, taking her in his arms and holding her close. He kissed her softly. "Just remember that we cannot be hurt, so don't yer worry yerself about us…"

"I'll always worry," Bessie admitted, "until you are all back here safely." She sighed. "You put your trust in the curse, but even you do not know the limits of its power…"

"We'll be fine…" Jack began, pausing as his ears caught the sound of one of the babies crying. "Yer'd best head back. Bar th' doors behind yer."

Bessie kissed him once more before turning back to the cabin. "It's probably Ned again, he's always the first to wake," she smiled, carefully opening the doors. "Come back safe…" For a moment she paused, turning back and looking at him, before closing the doors.

Jack waited until he heard the sound of the bar being lowered before turning to the waiting men. "Let's go," he grinned.

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Bryn Corbin paced the master cabin of the Black Pearl. He had overseen the loading of supplies that day and, at first light, when the crew returned from whatever taverns or whores presently occupied them, the ship would sail again in search of fresh victims. He grinned to himself, eager to feel the speed of the dark ship once more, the power of her sweeps and the joy of knowing that he was faster than any ship that the Navy had in the Caribbean. Naked, and still sweating from exertion, he glanced across at the whore in the bunk who waited for him to rejoin her. He put the bottle of brandy down and for a moment he stared at her, wondering why he had brought her aboard, for he would have to see her ashore in the morning which would delay their departure. She was blonde, but she was not the blonde he wanted. He still smarted at the debacle at Port Royal and his failure to find Jack Sparrow's widow. "Bessie…" he muttered to himself, envisaging her in his bunk, her clothes torn from her body and his lust, momentarily, slated.

"What?" the whore said, looking across at him, breaking his dream.

"I wasn't speakin' to you, yer stupid cow," he said, turning his back on her and staring out of the stern windows into the night. "Bessie…" He had wanted her since before he had seen her, initially as a means to finding her father's treasure and then, once he had seen her, as revenge against Jack Sparrow, payback for what should have come to him. All the years he had wanted her but had held back, fearful of the power of the Black Pearl and the protection that Edmund Morgan offered. But he had watched, and followed, and spied on her whenever he could, his want for her slowly growing into an obsession.

He would get her, she could not escape him for long. Indeed, only a few months earlier he had sent a man to London in search of her, having discovered from a contact in Port Royal where she had gone. He was sure that such a notable woman would easily be remembered even in a city that size. Soon… soon she would be his; his man would bring her back – the bounty he had offered would see to that.

He shrugged to himself, reasoning that the children would have to go. The boys, unfortunately for them, could not be allowed to grow to avenge their father – they would die, but the girls? Well, if they were as pretty as their mother, he could easily make a fair profit selling them to the Spanish for whores. He chuckled at the thought. And then he could turn his attention to the mother… Bessie. Just the thought of having her aroused him again.

"Are ya coming back?" He jumped as he heard the whore speak, startled to realise she had crept from the bunk without him realising. She rubbed herself against him, her hand reaching for his groin. "My, my," she smiled, licking her lips. "Ya look more than ready t' me."

Bryn Corbin groaned with pleasure under her ministrations, following her distractedly back to the bunk. Perhaps tomorrow would bring news…

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Okay… the first one to shout out in pantomine fashion "behind you" gets a slapping! (hehe)

 3 


	30. The Taking of the Pearl

Usual disclaimers… sob!

Thanks for all the reviews. Sorry the chapter was so short last time… sometimes things just naturally split in the wrong darned places!

Queenie – if it wasn't in the book then it must have been in the early script I read of the movie. I have definitely seen it somewhere – and official somewhere, not in somebody else's fanfic and I have stuck with that throughout all my tales, including Kitty.

Special thanks today must go to Ani… for being a great friend and general pain in the neck!

**Chapter 30 – The Taking of the Pearl**

They walked carefully along the shore until they came in sight of Tortuga harbour where the Black Pearl still sat at anchor. "Yer know th' orders," Jack said, automatically taking a deep breath as he started to walk out towards the ships, laughing to himself as he remembered he did not need to.

Joshamee grimaced as the water slowly covered his head, not liking in the least being cursed, nor walking under the water. Some things were not natural and, as far as he was concerned, this was one of them.

Jack split the men into two groups, leading his men to the stern anchor chain. Jacob climbed behind him, closely followed by Henry, Wyn and Gethin. Joshamee, Paul, Lucas, Jem, and Mark climbed the forward chain, their instructions clear – take the ship and kill all on her.

More slowly than the quartermaster would have liked, they reached the forward anchor chain of the Black Pearl. Complaining bitterly, he began to climb the chain. "Could've bloody eased m' joints," he muttered as his head finally broke the surface of the water. Instinctively he gasped the air, ignoring the sound of Paul chuckling behind him. The sharp point of a dagger pricked his leg.

"Get a move on, old man, or it'll be daylight," Paul urged, climbing quickly behind him, grunting to himself as he saw Joshamee disappear over the ship's rail, silencing the sole watchman.

Jack snorted to himself as he too reached the deck, disgusted to see such a poor watch kept over the ship. "A blind whore an' a drunkard could take th' ship," he muttered to himself, padding with sure, silent steps down to the main deck. He blinked, surprised to see lights on in the master cabin, grinning to himself as he realised that Bryn Corbin himself was possibly on board. He chuckled on hearing grunts and cries coming from the cabin, recognising that his enemy would be distracted for some time and unlikely to hear the sound of fighting below. He nodded to Henry to lead the men on, down through the ship to check for any other crew. "Corbin's on board," he hissed, swapping the pistol from the dead watchman with his own weapon soaked and useless from their underwater walk.

"You deal with him, Captain," Henry whispered in return. "We'll clear below fer yer…"

Jack nodded and reached cautiously for the doors of his cabin, disappointed to find them locked. At least his enemy still had some sense. Sighing, Jack settled down on the steps leading to the quarter deck and waited.

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The few crew that were on board were sitting around a trestle, dicing. They looked up in alarm on hearing Henry and the men descend, scrambling for their weapons, but the former Black Pearl crew were on them before a shot could be fired. The fight was brief, but bloody as those dicing managed to draw their swords. Jacob paled on finding himself facing a dark-skinned pirate, hoping that he could remember Jack's lessons.

"Ya know how t' use that, boy?" the pirate sneered, snorting when Jacob did not reply. He lunged at him, causing the young man to stagger backwards in the enclosed space as he brought his own weapon up to block the attack.

"Stop playing with 'im," Paul laughed, stabbing the other pirate through the back with his sword. He had little time for niceties. Jacob stared at the dead man for a moment, never having been close to such a violent death before. Startled, he raised his sword, fearful of another attack, wondering why he had ever left London. But as he looked around he realised, to his relief, that the fighting was over and that the other pirates were pushing the dead men out of the gun ports.

"Get this deck cleaned up," Joshamee ordered, wiping his sword on the shirt of one of the corpses. "An' ready two guns just in case…" When he was satisfied all was in order and that the lower decks were clear, Joshamee led the men back up onto the main deck.

"'E's got stamina, I'll give 'im that," Jack snorted as they returned. "Start t' raise th' anchors… I want us away as soon as possible!"

The men headed towards the capstan, their efforts slowly raising the forward anchor. Jack winced as he remembered how much noise it made in the darkness, realising that there was no way Bryn Corbin could miss the sound. He drew his sword, grinning as he saw the clouds beginning to part. Corbin was in for a shock.

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"What the…" Bryn Corbin puzzled, pushing the whore away from him, gasping as he recognised the sound of the anchor being raised. "Who gave th' order?" he cursed, quickly pulling on his breeches. He picked up his sword belt and strapping it on as he headed for the doors of the master cabin. He unlocked them, throwing them wide as he strode out onto the deck. "What th' hell's going on?" he shouted, seeing the shadowy backs of the men bent at the capstan.

"I'm takin' m' ship back," Jack drawled, rising from where he had been sitting.

"Sparrow!" Bryn Corbin cursed. "You're dead!"

Jack smirked, looking down at his hand that held his sword. "Not quite," he replied. "But yer will be very soon!"

Bryn Corbin hissed with anger, raising his own sword as he charged at Jack, not wasting time with further small talk.

"Are yer sure you don't want t' rest a while," Jack asked, his tone mocking. "Yer seem quite exhausted. That must be some whore yer've got in there…" He looked up, grinning as he recognised the blonde woman struggling to tie her laces in the doorway. "Evenin' Giselle!"

"Jack!" she beamed, looking with horror as Bryn started to turn towards her, clearly intent on using her as a hostage. With a squeal she slammed the doors shut, locking them with shaking hands. "Get 'im, Jack!" she cried from behind the safety of the doors. "Kill th' bastard!"

"Seems yer right popular with th' ladies," Jack chuckled, blocking a wild blow from the Welshman who was calling desperately for his men. "Sorry, mate… they're dead! Unlike th' scum yer employ, m' men are quite efficient…"

"Yer'll not get away with this, Sparrow!" Bryn Corbin vowed.

"He already has," Jem chuckled, the men having paused their task to watch the inevitable demise of the Welshman.

"You'll never find your wife!" he laughed, ignoring Jem and trying to throw Jack off his attack.

"Really?" Jack replied, raising an eyebrow. "Must have been another beautiful blonde woman I woke up with this mornin' then…"

"Yer found her?" Bryn gasped.

"Aye, an' m' nine children… all safe an' sound despite yer best efforts!" He snarled as he pressed his attack, angry at what Bessie had gone through because of his enemy.

"Nine?" Bryn spluttered.

"Delivered th' last two m'self not a few days past," Jack boasted, smirking as his sword slipped beneath Corbin's guard and cut his hand, causing him to drop his sword.

Looking around frantically, Bryn Corbin dived towards the dead watchman, picking up the fallen pistol. He raised it, aiming at Jack. "It seems yer lose again!" he smirked, wondering why Jack was nonchalantly walking towards him. "Yer pistol is useless! It'll be as wet as yer are!" He cocked the pistol, squeezing the trigger, but it failed to fire. He looked at it in horror.

"Aye, m' pistol is useless – as yer've just found out," Jack sighed, pulling a pistol from his sash and taking aim himself. "But this 'ere ain't m' pistol!" He grinned on seeing the moon finally peek out from behind the clouds and stepped purposely forward into a beam of moonlight.

"Th' c.. curse!" Bryn Corbin stuttered, finally realising how Jack was standing before him.

"Aye, I'm cursed - but yer are not," Jack said softly, shaking his head slowly. "Goodbye Corbin."

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Da-da-dum!

Reviews?


	31. Moonlight Revenge

Usual disclaimers… woe is me!

Thanks for all the reviews, and especial thanks to Blacklabel and Pendragginink for correctly remembering where the cartographer reference came from. I knew I wasn't going senile… oi – I heard that thought, Ani!

**Chapter 31 – Moonlight Revenge**

Jack fired, his shot taking the Welshman through his forehead, nodding to himself as he saw his enemy slump to the ground with a look of disbelief still on his face. "Throw this offal overboard!" he ordered, casting down the spent pistol and picking up his own precious weapon. He smiled darkly as the men hurried to obey before turning back to the locked doors of the master cabin… his cabin. "Yer can unlock th' doors now, Giselle," he called.

The whore unlocked them, throwing the doors open wide. She squealed in shock as she saw Jack in his skeletal form. He walked past her and into the shade. "'It's nothin' t' be afraid of," he assured her as she slowly overcame the fright enough to throw herself delightedly into his now fleshed arms.

"Everyone thought yer dead!" she cried, turning and hugging Joshamee as he too entered the cabin. "I won't ask what all this bony stuff is about… I can guess, but it's good t' have yer all back!"

Joshamee cleared his throat. "Err, Jack?" he began. "Jem came up with a suggestion an' I think it bears considering." He paused as Jack turned to look at him, before continuing slowly. "We know we don't have enough men t' crew the Pearl and the Revenge properly – especially if we meet up with the Crow or the Navy…"

"And…" Jack pressed, wishing his quartermaster would get on with it.

"Well, Jem says that Giselle hid him from Corbin whilst he was in Tortuga and that there might be others who'd like to hit back against the Crow when we find her."

Jack looked at him thoughtfully, fingering his braids as he turned to Giselle. "Well?" he finally said. "Are there?"

"There are some," she admitted, "an' more who sailed with Corbin as he offered them little choice…"

Jack grunted. "I can appreciate that," he agreed. "How many d' yer think yer can find?"

"Fifteen… maybe even twenty if they're not too drunk," she shrugged.

Jack considered the numbers. It was a risk, but he really needed more men as soon as he could and he did not want to leave Bessie and the children undefended for too long. "All right," he agreed. "Take Joshamee with yer an' find as many as yer can that can be trusted. I'll not have any man that worked willingly fer Corbin, or took part in th' attack on the Pearl – even if they were unwillin'." She nodded. "Be as quick as yer can." He turned, looking at the men waiting his orders just outside of the doors. "Mark, Henry, Lucas – I want yer t' get back t' the Revenge an' bring her carefully into harbour here. Anchor alongside. I want Bessie an' th' children safe as quickly as possible."

The three men nodded, quickly turning and lowering one of the ship's boats into the water. There was little point getting another soaking when they were only just beginning to dry out.

"Bessie is here?" Giselle asked. "She is well?"

Jack smiled. "Aye, she is well as are th' children."

"Constance will be delighted to hear that," she beamed. Edmund Morgan's widow had been sheltered by the whores following her eviction from her home on the death of her husband and, despite the treatment meted to her by Corbin's men, had proved surprisingly resilient to her situation, mothering many of the whores and they loved her for it. She had often wondered what had happened to Bessie and Giselle was delighted to be able to take the news to her.

"Well th' quicker yer find me some men, th' quicker yer can tell her…" Jack retorted, shooing her from the cabin. For a moment he stood alone, surveying what was his again, and realising sadly how much he would have to do to erase all sign of it's previous occupant.

"Captain," Paul Barker stood in the doorway. "I ordered the forward anchor lowered again… we were beginning to drift."

Jack nodded, having been too distracted himself to have given the order. "Good," he said. "Now we wait fer Bessie."

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Bessie listened quietly to the soft splash of oars approaching. She had paced the cabin for over an hour before creeping out onto deck and looking for the men to return, unable to bear the wait any longer. Leaning over the ship's rail, she squinted into the darkness, just able to make out three forms in a row boat. As the distance closed, she was able to make out the forms to be that of Mark, Henry and Lucas. The boat bumped against the hull and she caught the line they threw up to her, fastening it securely.

The three men quickly scrambled up onto deck. "We won!" Henry said excitedly, grabbing Bessie and twirling her around before hugging her tightly. "Jack wants us t' sail into Tortuga harbour an' sit alongside the Black Pearl…"

"But won't that be…" she began, worrying.

"Captain is takin' on more men," Lucas explained. "Giselle knows some who have a grudge against Corbin who'll likely sign th' ship's articles…"

"And then…" Bessie pressed.

"Then we sail to the Isla de Muerta, remove this curse an' all is right with the world!" he grinned. Bessie looked up at him doubtfully. "It will be fine… when has th' Captain ever been wrong?"

She bit her tongue, nodding, realising that Henry did not really have the time to stand and listen to the occasions that Jack had, indeed, been wrong. He turned to the others. "Lucas, Mark, give me a hand to haul this boat up an' we can make way…"

"I best go sit with the children," Bessie smiled. "They'll worry if they wake and we're moving if I'm not there…"

Henry nodded, still grinning as he secured the boat with the others. She quietly shut the doors, leaving the men to their tasks, watching quietly from the small stern gallery as the stern anchor slowly raised and, as the sails were quickly unfurled, Bessie's Revenge slipped smoothly from the bay towards Tortuga harbour.

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Because you've been good, there are two chapters today! And before anybody asks, there was no moon when the three men returned to Bessie's Revenge so they were fleshed.


	32. Arrangements

Usual disclaimers – drat!

**Chapter 32 – Arrangements**

By the time Bessie's Revenge was safely tied up alongside the Black Pearl, Jack had managed to take on seventeen new men. They would pick more men in Tortola and from other ports when they had removed the curse. Although Jack thought the curse could be useful, he had no intention of remaining so. Not only had he promised Joshamee that as soon as they had regained the Black Pearl they would return to the Isla de Muerta, he missed Bessie's cooking. He had eaten and made the right sounds of appreciation since they had been reunited, but he wished he could actually taste it.

More especially, he did not want the curse affecting him when he would finally be able to make love to Bessie. He had heard tales, years ago, about Barbossa and his crew when they had been cursed from the whores who had shaken their heads in confusion that not even the most skilled of them had been able to get any response. The last thing he wanted was Bessie thinking he was not up to it any more. The fact that Bessie was practically young enough to be his daughter had been amusing at first, but now it simply made him feel his every year.

Running out a plank, he walked across to the smaller ship, refusing to sleep in his cabin until it had been cleaned – especially the bedding. The thought of having Bessie sleeping next to him in the same bedding that the Welshman had used made him shudder. Not even the man's stale sweat was going to touch her skin. He had sent Henry and Jem ashore to find what was needed, clean bedding and whatever they felt was needed to wash the stench of Corbin from the ship.

Tomorrow, they would sail to the Isla de Muerta.

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Jack sat back, smiling contentedly to himself at two of the new crewmen, George Forthynne and Dugal MacCoul rowed him back to his ship. His ship. He savoured the words as they bumped against the hull of the Black Pearl, quickly climbing on board. The meeting with the carpenters had gone well and with their co-operation purchased by a hefty purse, they had agreed to start work on his special project as soon as the Black Pearl sailed. Constance Morgan had consented to oversee the work and, as far as he could ensure, all had been arranged.

"Cabin is all ready, Captain," Gethin assured him as he climbed over the ship's rail. "Do yer want me t' fetch Bessie and th' children for you?"

"No," Jack said, grinning. "I'll bring them across m'self," he replied, delighting in the thought of having his family on board. The new crew members had been warned about any inappropriate behaviour, although Jack was not overly worried, he knew his trusted nine men would not miss a thing.

Eagerly he ran across the plank to Bessie's Revenge, laughing to see Tabitha sitting on the end, her small bag of belongings at her feet. Carefully, he stepped over her.

"Can we go yet?" she complained, looking up at him. "You said we could go this mornin' an' it's nearly noon!"

"Aye," he agreed. "I had t' see t' a surprise fer yer mother… an' it took longer than I thought. But yer can go across now if yer like. Jem has rigged yer all some hammocks in th' master cabin…"

"Hammocks!" she grinned, grabbing her bag and dashing across the plank without thought of the drop. Jack watched, his heart in his mouth, fearful that she would fall, but she made it to the other side safely.

"How come Tabby got to go first!" Jack complained, scowling at his father.

"B'cause she was 'ere an' waiting," Jack shrugged. "But yer can all go across now…" He grabbed Frances who seemed determined to beat her older brother, reasoning she was too young to attempt the plank on her own.

Whooping with joy, Jack, Henrietta, John and Pearl hurried across the plank, running around the ship and causing chaos wherever they went. He carried Frances into the cabin, unsurprised to see Bessie still struggling to get the new twins ready.

"I'm nearly done," she assured him, looking up as he entered, handing Mark a heavy bag. He nodded to Jack and headed out of the cabin.

"I'll send Henry and Lucas back to help," he said, pausing by the door, realising that Jack and Bessie would unlikely manage the four smallest children between them.

Bessie sighed, turning to Jack. "Are you sure we will be safe on the Pearl?" she asked worriedly.

"It's only until we lift th' curse an' come back," Jack assured her.

"And then what?" Bessie pressed.

"Yer'll have t' wait an' see," Jack teased, chuckling at her indignant expression.

"Jack Sparrow…" she warned.

"Ah, Henry," Jack coughed, grateful to see his men arrive. "Lucas, if you'll take Fanny across an' you take Milly, Henry." He handed her over to Lucas, bending down to pick up Milly from the small crib and passing her to Henry. "I'll take these two," he said, cautiously taking the twins from Bessie, "and I'll come back for you…"

"I'll get it out of you somehow, Jack!" she promised.

"Ye can get it out of me any way yer like," he chuckled, laughing at her choice of words.

"Oh!" she cried, grabbing one of the pillows and threatening him with it.

Jack took that as a good cue to leave, and led his men across the plank and onto the Black Pearl. He handed the twins over to the capable care of Jem before returning to stand by the gangplank. "Now," he grinned. "Are yer still going ter threaten me with violence? I could leave yer there, you know!"

"The first dirty nappy and you'll be screaming for me!" she called back to him, undaunted by his taunt.

Jack paled at her first threat, not liking in the least the thought of the toilet needs of his smaller children. "All right, you can come on board," he conceded, returning and offering her his hand. He knew she would be frightened to cross, aware of the water below. "Just remember, I'm Captain," he hissed, pouting at her.

Bessie chuckled. "Yes, dear," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Whatever you say, dear…"

Jack raised an eyebrow, then took her hand in his, leading her across the gangplank. He squeezed her hand reassuringly as she faltered nearly half-way across, but she regained her nerve and continued. "There!" he grinned as she finally set foot on the Black Pearl. "I knew yer could do it." A number of the new crew scurried back over to Bessie's Revenge to bring the last of her belongings over. "Now, if yer'd like t' make yourself comfortable in th' cabin, I'll get us under way…"

"What are you up to, Jack?" she puzzled.

"Nothing…" he replied, his attempt to look innocent ruined by a fit of coughing.

Bessie could not keep a straight face and, laughing, allowed him to escort her into the main cabin. It felt good to be back on board the Black Pearl and she could hardly imagine how it must feel for Jack.

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Reviews?


	33. Reversal and Revenge

Usual disclaimers, but if you aren't used to them by now then you've been living on another planet.

I'm sorry that I forgot to upload yesterday, but it is the Easter holidays here in the UK at the moment and I have my seven year old son home for a fortnight… so I'm surprised I can even remember my name... who am I?

Anyway, I am posting the final four chapters of Bessie today and there is not a follow-up story. I have just started writing with Ani Sparrow a brand new tale about a girl named Mab, but that is only in it's early days and there is a lot of typing to do before it is ready… so it will likely be a few months before you see anything new from me.

Thanks for all the reviews and for being with me through the Kitty and Bessie tales… you guys are the absolute best!

**Chapter 33 – Reversal and Revenge**

The Black Pearl sailed for just over a week, with either Paul, Joshamee or Jack himself at the helm. Jack watched the new crew closely, but none showed any signs of not fitting. Indeed, most ate Bessie's cooking eagerly, not being used to such good food on board. Jack wished the winds would blow stronger, wanting to taste Bessie's cooking himself. And rum… oh, how he needed a good bottle of rum!

Finally, the volcanic island of Isla de Muerta came into view and the Black Pearl carefully picked her way through the wrecks and the reefs to the safe anchorage. Jack was wary about all the cursed men leaving the ship at once, so settled for allowing five men to go first , Joshamee amongst them.

"I gave yer m' word," he said to his quartermaster, slapping him companionably on the back as he prepared to follow Mark, Jem, Gethin and Wyn who waited for him in the ship's boat below. "Now yer know what t' do…"

"Jack!" Joshamee sighed, running his hand through his hair. "You've told me a dozen times, if not more. Now, the sooner I go, the sooner I'll get back…"

Jack chuckled ruefully, knowing how eager his quartermaster was to reverse the curse upon him. "Yer'd best go then" he acknowledged, watching as the older man climbed down to the waiting boat. He paused, sensing somebody behind him, surprised to find it was Bessie. She slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him.

"I bet you can't wait either," she sighed, ducking under his arm to stand before him.

"Aye, it'll be good t' be back ter normal," he admitted. "Although I'm more than a little grateful that I took one when I did," he said, kissing her on the nose.

"So am I," she replied, hugging him tightly. "I don't know what myself or the children would have done without you…"

"Well, once yer able, p'raps we'd better try fer a nice round ten," he chuckled.

"Jack!" she protested. "I only gave birth a… but… no!"

"All right," he conceded, his eyes teasing. "P'raps we can wait a while." He held her to him, wrapping his arms about her tightly. "How does next Tuesday sound t' you?"

"Jack!" she cried, trying to get her arms free to hit him, realising how tightly he had her trapped.

"Papa! Are we going ashore?" Henrietta asked, tugging on his shirt. "I want t' see th' gold!"

"Not this time, Hetty," he said, cautiously releasing Bessie and tousling his daughter's hair.

"You know we're only here so Papa can get unskeletoned," the younger Jack reasoned, rolling his eyes at his twin. "Although it would be fun to see the cursed coins. Can we?"

"No!" both Jack and Bessie cried at once. If there was one thing that young Jack was not going to do, it was to get his hand on a coin.

"Spoilsport," he muttered, calling Cotton the macaw down from the rigging to sit upon his shoulder and stomping up the stairs to the quarterdeck so that he could get a better view of the island.

"Promise me you'll never let him near that chest," Bessie worried, looking up at Jack anxiously.

"Don't yer worry," Jack assured her. "There is no way I'm even letting him ashore!" He glanced up, relieved to see the ship's boat returning. "Right, I have t' gather th' men an' take m' turn," he said, grinning at her.

Bessie watched as the five men climb up onto the deck, rough bandages on their left hands covering the cuts. Although they could not feel the injuries now, Jack had warned them that they would once the curse was lifted. Jacob, Lucas, Henry and Paul climbed down as soon as they were on board, holding the boat steady as Jack kissed Bessie once more before following them. She watched them row towards the island, disappearing into the cave mouth, before turning to Joshamee. "I found some of Ned's salve still in his cabin the other day," she said, sadly remembering the ship's doctor. "Come, I'll smear a little on the cuts…"

The five men obediently followed her into the master cabin, allowing her to see to their hands, before returning to their duties, ensuring that the Black Pearl was ready to sail as soon as Jack and the others returned. Shortly, they felt a tingling from the cuts, momentarily unsure if it was the salve, before realising that the final five coins must have been replaced and the blood debt repaid. Joshamee paced the main deck anxiously, ensuring a seaward watch was maintained whilst the ship was forced to wait. Finally, the ship's boat could be seen, bobbing towards them, and he sighed with relief, not having realised he was holding his breath.

The boat bumped against the hull and, unsurprisingly, Jack was the first on board. The others climbed up quickly behind him, favouring their hands. "Get th' boat secure an' make fer Tortuga," he ordered, pausing only to kiss Bessie who had started seeing to the cuts. When she had finished his hand too, he wrapped his arm about her, heading towards his cabin where he had a particularly fine bottle of rum which he was more than a little eager to taste. "Ah, m' woman an' rum… what more could a man ask fer," he sighed contentedly.

"Wind in yer sails!" a voice screeched from the rigging.

Jack looked up, dodging frantically to one side, glaring at his eldest son who was nearly crying with laughter at the bird's antics. "Once more," Jack glowered, raising a fist to the macaw as he entered the safety of his cabin. "Once more an' I eat it!"


	34. The Surprise

Usual disclaimers – pah!

**Chapter 34 – The Surprise**

By the time they reached Tortuga, Jack realised how reluctant he was going to be to no longer have Bessie on board. He would, however, not be disappointed to see the departure of Cotton the macaw.

"Are yer ready fer yer surprise then?" he asked, grinning at Bessie as the Black Pearl anchored alongside Bessie's Revenge, the crew throwing lines to bring the two ships closer together. "Well, I guess yer'd best come on then," he said, offering her his arm and escorting her out onto deck. "Jem can look after th' children fer a while," he assured her, nodding to the elderly crewman who hurried to keep an eye on the unruly mob within.

"All ready, Captain," Henry assured him, holding the plank steady for Bessie as Jack led her carefully across to the other ship.

"Everything?" Jack said quietly.

"Everything," Henry grinned, hardly able to contain his delight at the surprise. He hoped Bessie would like it as much.

Jack turned to Bessie. "Close yer eyes now," he instructed. "An' trust me…"

Bessie looked at him, a teasing smile flitting across her lips. "Jack…"

"Close 'em or yer go no further!" he warned, smiling as she shut her eyes, holding out her hands to him.

Carefully Jack led her to what had before been the master cabin of the ship, pushing open the doors. For a moment he caught his breath as he looked around him. Constance had done an incredible job and the place really felt like home. "Yer can open them now," he smiled, standing back so he would not obstruct her view.

Bessie opened her eyes, gasping with surprise. The master cabin had been transformed into what looked like a sitting room. The stern had been opened up, forming a gallery, and a number of settees and easy chairs had been bolted to the deck, storage cupboards and drawers lining the walls. "These are my…" she stuttered, suddenly realising why the furniture looked familiar.

"Aye," Jack smiled. "Th' furniture came from our home… Corbin never bothered with it once he realised you were no longer there…"

"It wasn't looted!" she said in disbelief.

"Giselle an' some of the whores moved in," he admitted. "Kept most of th' things safe…" He turned her round, kissing her. "D' yer want t' see th' rest of th' ship now?"

Still stunned, Bessie nodded. "Is this what you meant when yer said about me living on board?" she asked.

Jack grinned. "Aye. I'll ensure yer have enough crew t' keep yer safe an' man th' ship… Jem an' Henry have volunteered t' be yer senior crew…" He led her across the main deck to the other small cabin, allowing Bessie to enter first.

Her squeal of delight assured him that everything was as it should be. He followed her through the doors, surprised when she threw herself into his arms. Looking around, he smiled. Although the furniture was placed differently due to the shape of the cabin, he felt that they were back in their own bedroom. The four poster bed had been modified to fit the lower ceiling and her dressing table sat snugly beneath one of the windows. Two cribs were made ready for the twins and for Milly.

"There's a number of small cabins fer th' children below decks," he informed her, guiding her back out of the cabin and down the stairs. "They've done yer a nice little galley through there an' a mess area…" He waved behind him, indicating the area to his right.

"You meant what you said about not letting me out of your sight," she smiled, turning round to kiss him.

"We'll hide yer safe in a cove when we sail, an' come back fer yer later," he informed her. "It has a degree of risk, I admit, but I'm not happy about leavin' yer where any of Corbin's old crew could easily find yer…"

She smiled, looking around her at the gun deck which had been altered into a permanent mess area, although there were still four cannons nestled amongst the trestles. She walked aft, looking in surprise at each of the cabins where the children's' beds and bunk beds had been fitted. "And where will the crew sleep?" she frowned, suddenly realising that there was nowhere for the men.

"I've had an area in th' hold adapted," he informed her, "although there's another cabin beneath th' stairs there that'll sleep yer senior crew…"

Bessie wrapped her arms about him. "Thank you, Jack," she beamed. "It is wonderful!"

Jack grinned, kissing her deeply, hoping to himself that wonderful could also mean safe. He prayed it would be so.


	35. More Men

Usual disclaimers – sob!

**Chapter 35 – More Men**

Unwilling to take on more men from Tortuga, Jack arranged for some of the men to man Bessie's Revenge whilst the majority remained on the Black Pearl to sail her to a number of ports that he knew where he hoped to find more hands. Henry became captain of the smaller ship, Jem the quartermaster, whilst Mark as helm and three of the new men – Tobias Dickens, Meridith Jones and Kester Damaris volunteered. He knew that there was not really enough to cope if there was a fight, but at least there were enough to man the sails and he prayed that they would not run into neither the Navy nor The Crow.

The two ships sailed together, Bessie's Revenge shadowing the faster Black Pearl who held her pace as best she could. Jack intended on heading to San Juan and then Tortola, taking roughly thirty men from each port if he could find those he thought right. Now that Bessie and the children were going to be nearby, he was taking no chances with those who he had even a niggle of doubt about – his family's safety paramount.

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Bessie looked out at the town of San Juan, disappointed that Jack had not wanted neither her nor the children to go ashore. She understood his caution but reasoned that she knew how to cope in a pirate town considering all the years she had lived in Tortuga, but Jack had been adamant. So Henry, Jem and Kester had gone ashore with a number of men from the Black Pearl in order to assess the new crew and to purchase supplies.

It was not long before they returned, Jem climbing awkwardly up the jacob's ladder and over the ship's rail, a broad grin on his face. "Mark!" he ordered, spotting the helmsman nearby. "Head back to shore with Kester an' get th' supplies that have been ordered…" Jack had arranged for plenty of food as well as a number of surprises to be delivered to the quayside and he was eager to see Bessie's face when she saw what arrived.

"Aye," the ex-merchant sailor replied, clambering down to the ship's boat quickly and picking up the spare oar. Kester nodded to him and they rowed back together, loading the small boat with as much as could be safely carried. He blinked on seeing a crate of chickens. "Chickens?"

"Captain Sparrow reckoned they'd be fine in th' small store opposite th' galley," Kester smiled, thinking that Bessie's Revenge was certainly turning out to be the strangest pirate ship he had ever served on. "He's got a goat ordered too," he added conspiratorially, glancing along they quayside. "But that ain't turned up yet…"

"A goat!" Mark spluttered.

"Yeah, a goat! Captain Sparrow an' Captain Holt both thought it'd be nice fer th' children t' have fresh milk…" Kester explained.

"We'll be a floating menagerie!" the helmsman said, shaking his head in disbelief as they started rowing back to the ship. "What with Daffodil and that bloody bird!"

"That's nothing to what Captain Sparrow is arranging," Kester chuckled.

"What is he arranging?" Mark asked worriedly.

"You'll see," Kester teased. "But your comment about a menagerie won't be far wrong," he smiled.

"A menagerie…" Mark frowned, wondering what on earth Jack was arranging, but Kester gave no answer, just chuckling to himself as he rowed. Soon they reached the ship and the items were man-handled aboard. He knew Bessie would be delighted with what Jack had bought – from bolts of fabric to basics such as new pans. It seemed as if he was determined to make up for what she had lacked since fleeing Tortuga, very determined indeed.

"Chickens!" she gasped, her disbelief mirroring Mark's earlier reaction, her gasp bringing Henrietta and Tabitha racing from the stern cabin, their delight clear on their faces.

Kester grinned as he placed the cage of five birds on the deck. "We've sawdust too," he assured her. "Captain Sparrow says they are to live in the small store… the one by the galley," he explained, turning to help Mark as he pushed a large sack of sawdust over the ship's rail.

"I'd better get it sorted then," she sighed, reaching for the sack, glancing wryly at the two girls who were racing around the deck squealing their joy at the birds.

"Oh no you don't," Jem remarked, pulling her hand back. "Meridith! Carry this sack for Bessie… she'll show you where!"

"Aye, Jem," Meridith nodded, picking up the heavy sack with ease. "Did I hear Kester say th' galley store?"

"Thank you," Bessie smiled,

"Can I help?" Tabitha cried, Henrietta only a few seconds behind her in volunteering.. "I want to name them!" she insisted.

"We can all decide," Bessie cautioned, knowing that allowing such a thing would only cause arguments. "Perhaps you girls can each pick a name?" she suggested, hoping the boys would not be interested in something as domestic as chickens.

Meridith put the sack down outside of the door to the cabin and Bessie suddenly realised that the door was split like a stable-door, something she had not noticed before. Clearly Jack had been planning this for a while. "Thank you, Meridith," she smiled as he opened the sack before heading back up onto the main deck to help with the unloading.

Tabitha scooped a large handful of sawdust from the sack, scattering it on the floor, her actions matched by her sister. "Can I leave you girls to do that whilst I fetch the chickens?" Bessie asked before turning to head back up the stairs. She stopped on seeing the two boys, Jack and John, struggling with the cage between them.

"Jem said you needed this," he said, the macaw on his shoulder screeching loudly at the caged birds, as if taunting them with its freedom.

"Thank you, boys," she replied gratefully, helping them down the final steps with their awkward burden. Immediately she picked it up they scurried off, either having other chores or determined to avoid more chores, she could not tell. She heaved the crate into the store, pleased to see that the girls had managed to empty the sack with only a minimal amount over themselves. Shutting the lower part of the door, she cautiously opened the crate, easing the plump birds from within. They started scratching around in the sawdust, searching for food.

"I hope your father remembered gr…" she began, looking up as Meridith returned.

"Grain," he smiled, dumping a smaller sack outside of the door. "I'll rig a bowl up later fer their water," he assured her.

"Thank y…" she said, but paused, peering over the half-door in alarm at the sounds of stomping on the deck above, accompanied by male voices cursing. The curses got nearer – as did another noise. "A goat!" she cried in amazement as Tobias, or Toby as he preferred to be called, struggled the beast towards her. It was not clear if he or the animal was winning, but she thought it was likely to be the goat. Meridith turned to help him, laughing at his shipmate's predicament, forcing the argumentative creature in through the door once Bessie had gotten the children out.

"Kester said Captain Sparrow thought yer'd like milk," Toby informed her, glaring at the animal before nodding to her and heading back up the stairs, Meridith a few steps behind him.

"A goat!" she laughed, picking first Henrietta and then Tabitha up so they could peer at the creature from the safety of the corridor. They looked at the beast with wide eyes. "I guess we had better go and see what else your father has bought," she smiled, hearing Jack's voice above.

Eagerly the girls scurried up the stairs in search of their father, Bessie following at a slower pace. She winced on hearing them scream in delight, their voices quickly added to by the rest of their siblings. Almost dreading what she would see, she climbed the final step, turning towards the noise.

"Ah, there yer are, m' dear!" Jack grinned, striding over and kissing her. "Did you like th' chickens?"

"And a goat?" she frowned.

"Aye, well th' children need their milk," he chuckled.

"And what else have you done?" she worried, unsure if she liked the grin on his face, knowing he was up to something by his expression.

"Oh, nothing much," he assured her, taking her arm in his and slowly turning to face the children. "Just bought them a pet…"

"Each!" she gasped, suddenly realising why there had been so much noise from her brood.

"Err… couldn't have them fightin', could I?" he grinned, kissing her nose as she glowered at him.

She shook her head wryly, knowing she would never win. "You'd best show me what you've got then," she sighed.

Jack crouched down next to the cages, opening the first which contained three kittens. He took out a creamy coloured one which he held out to Pearl, closely followed by smokey-grey kitten which he passed to Henrietta. The third kitten was black and white and this he gave to Frances, although Pearl soon had to rescue the creature from being strangled by her sister. He reasoned Emily was too young for a kitten and had vowed to get her and the baby twins something when they were older.

"Now," he said, "Jack doesn't get a pet, since he already has that bleedin' bird," he explained, ruffling his eldest son's hair. The creature squawked at him from the rigging, but Jack studiously ignored it. He reached to another cage, beckoning John over and placing a small parakeet on his shoulder. "You'll have t' train it," he told his son, "but it's used t' being handled an' it's feathers 'ave been clipped so it can't fly fer a while… just until it becomes used to you. Same rules as fer Jack's bird – it messes, you clean up!"

"Yes, Papa!" the younger boy grinned, hurrying off to show Jem his bird.

Finally there was only one crate left and Tabitha stood before him, looking at her father expectantly. "There's a reason fer yer bein' last," he said, uncovering the final crate and reaching carefully amongst the hay bedding. "I thought a kitten would be too much a girl thing fer you… so I got yer this…" He held up a small puppy which had clearly been only recently weaned, handing it to her.

Tabitha looked at the puppy in shock. It was a scruffy looking thing with shortish legs and a long tail and it licked her hand excitedly, pleased to be out of the crate.

Daffodil, having decided to finally investigate the noise, took one look at the puppy, hissed loudly and leapt for the capstan, swearing at the small creature from the elevated safety.

"Menagerie!" Mark groaned as he clambered over the ship's rail with their third load of the morning, Kester just behind him.

"Told yer!" Kester smirked, picking up the supplies and heading below.

"Am I the only one that didn't know?" Bessie frowned.

"Well, th' children didn't know," he grinned.

"Perhaps I should keep you here as well," she warned, "so that you can clean up after all of them!"

"Ah, that won't be necessary…" Jack assured her earnestly. "I managed t' find enough crew and Henry has picked enough men t' fully man th' Revenge," he smiled. "So I'm sure yer can delegate it t' one of them," he chuckled.

"How many?" she asked, knowing that she already had six men on board and wondering how many he thought would be needed..

"I got yer fifteen men," he said, his tone turning serious for a moment. "Once all th' supplies are in and the men are on board, we'll be headin' fer Tortola t' get th' last of th' men…"

"And then?" she worried.

"We'll put yer somewhere safe an' go and do what we do best," he grinned, eager to return to piracy.


	36. Mistaken Identity

Usual disclaimers – noooooo!

Last chapter…

**Chapter 36 – Mistaken Identity**

They were only a few days out of Tortola, both ships now fully manned, when Dugal MacCoul, one of the Tortugan men, cried down from the crow's nest. "Sail ho, Captain!" He looked closely through his spy glass, peering intently at the outline of the ship. "Two points off starboard… I think it's The Crow!"

A feral grin split Jack's face and he handed the helm to Paul Barker. "Gibbs!" he shouted. "Run up Corbin's colours an' put a few shot's across th' bow o' th' Revenge!"

"Eh?" the older man puzzled.

"If Jervis is headin' north then he ain't been to Tortuga an' likely doesn't know about Corbin…" Jack reasoned. "So let's not tell him… just yet!"

"Aye, Captain," Joshamee smiled, catching Jack's plan and calling for Jack's flag to be lowered to assist in the deceit. Two cannons fired, rocking the ship as Paul brought the Black Pearl closer to Bessie's Revenge. As soon as they were close enough, Jack grabbed a line, swinging across.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bessie raged, not believing that Jack had fired on them.

"With me," he urged, nodding to Jem and hurrying up to the quarterdeck where Henry had the helm, a puzzled, but not alarmed look on his face.

"Captain?" he frowned.

"Th' Crow has been spotted," Jack warned, wrapping an arm about Bessie's waist. "I want y' to put some burnin' rags in a bucket when she closes and fer Bessie an' th' children to stay out of sight…" He turned to his wife. "Whatever happens, keep the children away from the windows and keep the doors locked," he cautioned. She nodded, eyes wide, realising that the men were making ready to fight. "I'll lure them in," Jack said, turning back to Henry. "Make 'em think we've caught you b'fore changin' our flag back t' a red an' taking th' bastards out. We'll keep ourselves between you an' them," he assured Bessie, realising she was frightened. "Now," he said, turning and kissing her. "Keep yourself and th' children safe… we'll be fine!"

"Keep yourself safe," she worried, kissing him back before hurrying back down the stairs to round up the children and the animals before the other ship closed.

"Plenty o' smoke," Jack instructed before hurrying back to the Black Pearl, eager to ensure that all was ready on his own ship. He glanced up, grimacing as Bryn Corbin's hated flag briefly was raised above his ship – but if it would save as many lives of his crew as possible, he was not above the deceit. He would change it a few moments before firing – let nobody say he was without honour.

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"Captain Jervis! It's the Black Pearl!" his lookout called down. "Look's like she's caught the last of Sparrow's crew!"

"Take us closer," Simon Jervis ordered.

"Should I ready th' guns, Sir?" his quartermaster queried.

"No," he chuckled, reaching for his own spyglass and peering closely at the black smoke rising from the smaller vessel. "Captain Corbin has the situation already under control… but perhaps we can join in the party…"

"Aye, Sir," his man nodded, striding away with a broad grin on his face at the thought of finally cornering the men that had eluded them for so long.

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"Closer… closer…" Jack urged, crouching down so that his distinctive attire would not be spotted from the approaching ship. He had ordered the starboard cannons loaded and knew that all was ready below. Lucas stood by the main mast, Jack's own red flag concealed beneath his clothes, ready to change their colours when Jack deemed the time right.

"Now!" Jack urged, spotting Simon Jervis frown in confusion as the flag was lowered, and then replaced. He smirked at the look of alarm on his opponent's face as the red flag rose, and then the cannons roared, smashing into the unprepared ship.

A few carronades managed to get a shot in return before the heavy cannons of the Black Pearl fired again, each shot finding it's target. He grinned on seeing the gaping holes, realising the ship was already listing. He had ordered his own men ready to board, but was beginning to think it not necessary.

A third round fired. Her mizzen mast groaned, then shattered, her sails falling amidst a tangle of rigging… and then she exploded as one or more of the shots hit the magazine store. Jack ducked, looking worriedly aloft as the flying debris caught in his own sails. One of them started to smoulder. "Cut that away!" he shouted, ignoring the plight of the stricken ship in the desperate need to make his own safe. Men rushed aloft whilst others stamped out small fires that had started nearer to hand. They hacked at the rigging, and, finally, the sail fell to the sea, the flames doused instantly. Jack breathed a sigh of relief.

"All fires are out, Captain," Joshamee shouted, his face a broad grin as he looked over the ship's rail at the wrecked ship. Jack strode eagerly to join him, his face matching the older man as he realised that there could be no survivors. He picked up Bryn Corbin's flag from where Lucas had dropped it in his haste, letting it fall overboard with the rest of the wreckage.

"Take us back on our course," he instructed, grabbing a line and swinging across to Bessie's Revenge to assure himself that all was fine on the smaller ship. "Bessie's revenge," he muttered as he landed cat-like on the deck. "M' revenge too!" Chuckling he walked towards the cabin. "M' revenge too!"

THE END!

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Remember, four chapters means four reviews! Ta!


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